he Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Jimoh Moshood, has described Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State as ‘a drowning man’ that should not be engaged with issues.
Jimoh stated this when he and Ortom’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Terver Akase, both featured as guests on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.
Both men were speaking on the state of insecurity in the state while trading blames on each other on what may be perceived as lapses on either side.
The State Government and the police authorities seem not to be on the same page on the latest killings that have sent many to their early graves.
While the police seem to have credited itself to having restored peace in the troubled state, the state, on the contrary, is calling for the immediate sack or resignation of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris.
But responding, Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Jimoh Moshood called Governor Samuel Ortom a “drowning man.”
“And that is why we felt you don’t join issues with a drowning man,” he said in an apparent reference to the governor calling for the immediate resignation or sack of the IGP.
To the police spokesman, the call made by the state government seems not to have gone down well as he considered it an affront to the police boss and the entire police officers.
He added, “It is a great disservice to the Inspector General of Police and the entire Nigeria Police Force for the governor to call for his resignation, the governor should resign first.
“What he has said, the document presented to the Senate is for action by the Senate. And nobody can make any part or complete document public until the Senate makes a decision on it and passes a resolution.”
In his response, the governor’s spokesman wondered why the IGP should not resign when the police under his leadership had failed to secure lives and properties as enshrined in the Police Act.
Section 4 of the Police Act, he explained, is the duty of the police to protect lives and maintain law and order.
Akase, however, regretted a situation whereby the police would seek clearance from the authorities in Abuja before taking any decisive action.
