Acting IG of Police accuses retired IG Arase of carting away 24 police vehicles

Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has asked his predecessor, Solomon Arase, to return the police vehicles he took away on departure from office. Idris accused Arase of taking 24 vehicles including an armoured BMW.

Speaking at the Force Headquarters in Abuja yesterday, Idris said he has written to Arase to return at least 20 vehicles, saying he should not have more than 4 cars as part of his severance package. He added that some of the retired Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), took away as many as 8 vehicles while some took 7.

He said: “A week before I was appointed, if you looked through my office window, you could see so many cars.
But the cars all disappeared when I came in. What I did was to assign a directive to the Special Investigative Unit (SFU) to investigate all vehicles’ purchases and donations to the police in the last three years as well as their positions. When I took over, there were no vehicles.
I discovered that the last IG went away with 24 vehicles including two BMWs. The DIGs some took 7, others 8. And they left me with an old vehicle. Even the one I followed the President out with, the President asked what I was doing with that kind of vehicle.
The headlight has changed colour, which means it was parked for long under the rain. But the new ones that were bought, including an Armoured BMW 7 series, he took them away.

So, I wrote to him and reminded him that when a policeman retires as IG, DIG, AIG or CP, he is entitled to some vehicles. And so, he should take his entitlement and return the extra. I believe 4 vehicles are enough for an average person. What does one need 24 vehicles for?”