Nigeria Police speak on alleged plot to kill whistle blower

The Zone 5 headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force, Benin, has debunked any plot to eliminate one Ovie Osiebe-Franklin, an alleged whistle blower, and one other Anodeh Brave.

This is contained in a statement released by Emeka Iheanacho, Zonal Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO), and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Benin on Sunday.

Mr Iheanacho said that the alleged whistle blower was a suspect in a case of alleged false information investigated by the FCIID, Abuja.

He said that debunking the alleged elimination plot was imperative following a publication by an online publication on March 28.

He said the said-publication had allegedly reported that the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5 Headquarters, Benin, Rasheed Akintunde, was plotting to eliminate the whistle blower.

Mr Akintunde was also alleged to be plotting to kill Anode Brave, a member of Delta State Polytechnic Governing Council, Otefe-Oghara.

He said that the AIG was committed to professionalism and intelligence-led policing.

“The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5 Headquarters, Benin, AIG Rasheed Akintunde wishes to reaffirm his commitment to professionalism, and intelligence-led policing.

“He also wishes to reaffirm his respect for fundamental human rights and observance of rule of law in the discharge of his duties at all time.

“It would be recalled that sometime in 2014, the school authority terminated Ovie Osiebe-Franklin appointment as an academic staff of the Delta State Polytechnic.

He was alleged to be involved in acts of corruption, extortion of students, sexual harassment of female students and examination malpractice.

“Since the termination of the suspect’s appointment by the Governing Council , he has been on vengeance mission against the authorities of Delta State Polytechnic Otefe-Oghara”, the statement said.

Mr Iheanacho further said that in 2014, Mr Osiebe-Franklin wrote a petition to the Inspector- General of Police against the Rector and other members of the Governing Council including Anodeh Brave.

There, he alleged misappropriation of the institution’s fund, he said.

“At the end of the investigation, a Legal Advice from the Commissioner of Police Legal Department, Abuja, directed that the said Ovie Osiebe-Franklin (suspect ) should be arrested and charged to court for false information”.

He, however, said that on Febriuary 20, 2018, another petition was written to the AIG, Zone 5 Headquarters, by Anodeh Brave.

He said that it was against the supposed whistle blower over allegations of corruption and extortion, impersonation of EFCC officials, assassination of character and threat to lives.

The spokesperson said based on the petition which was presently being investigated at the zonal command, the supposed whistle blower had continued to evade police arrest.

He said that every effort made to arrest and prosecute the suspect had failed.

He said as a responsible law enforcement agency, the zone would like to reassure members of the public that it would continue to discharge its functions within the confine of extant laws.

He advised the general public to disregard the said publication as there was no truth in it.

He appealed to the public to assist the zone with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the supposed whistle blower.

(NAN)