The Federal Government through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has on Tuesday filed two separate charges against Senator Isa Hamman Misau representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District.
The Senator has been at disagreement with the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, who he accuses of corruption, nepotism, amongst others.
In a five-count charge, filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, the Senator, a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police is accused of making “Injurious falsehood” against the IG, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) Mike Okiro and the Nigeria Police.
He is also charged for making and uttering false documents which he allegedly submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2011 and 2015.
Trouble started when the Senator accuse the IGP of pocketing N10 million to N15 million from Commissioners of Police, State Mobile Police Commanders and Special Protection Unit Force Commanders for favourable postings.
He also alleged that the IG rakes in N10 billion monthly from oil companies and other private individuals who enjoy special protection from the force.
The Senator further frowns at the IGP for using his office to favour his Nupe officers and also for running the organization like his personal property. All as alleged.
Misau lambasted the IGP and the Police Service Commission for allegedly engaging in promotion racketeering and offering special promotions to undeserving officers, leaving combatant officers to wallow in low ranks.
Police call him a deserter
The police responded by calling him a “deserter” who left the Force to avoid pending disciplinary actions against him.
Police Spokesman, Jimoh Moshood said the former Deputy Superintendent failed to report to duty when deployed to Niger State in September 2010.
He further said Misau resignation was forged and dubiously obtained.
“Senator Isah Hamman Misau dubiously absconded and deserted the Nigeria Police Force on 24th September, 2010 when he was redeployed to Niger State Command and he refused to report, consequent upon which he was queried in line with the Public Service Rules Sections 030301(b)(g)(m) and (o) and 030402(a)(b)(c)(e) and (w), in addition to the previous queries and disciplinary process he was facing when he refused to proceed on Junior command course (JCC) 49/2008 at staff college Jos between 5th January, 2009 and 19th June, 2009,” he said.
“The retirement letter presented to the journalists by DSP Mohammed Isa Hamman is suspiciously forged and dubiously obtained. The letter which was dated 5th March, 2014, a period of more than four years after AP No 57300 DSP Mohammed Isa Hamman (senator Isah Hamman Misau) deserted the force is now being investigated by the force.
“AP. No 57300 DSP Mohammed Isa Hamman absconded from duty and deserted the Force on the 24th September, 2010 but contested the Bauchi central senatorial election in 2011 general elections under Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and got suspected forged retirement letter dated 5th March, 2014, this means that for four years, he is still a Police Officer which made it a criminal act for him to contest election as a Police Officer in service and this is another fraud the Police is investigating against him. He also perpetrated an act of impersonation by acknowledging the receipt of the suspected forged retirement letter as a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP Hamman Isah) instead of his actual rank of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) (Ref Suspected fake retirement letter)
“DSP Mohammed Isa Hamman got the suspected forged retirement letter in 2014 but he contested the Bauchi Central Senatorial election in 2011 general elections under Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at that time he was a Deputy Superintendent of Police and a deserter of the Force. This is a clear element and criminal liability of fraud and impersonation because under the law, you cannot be a Police Officer and still stand for election.
“The suspicion of the Police on this is that the suspected forged letter was obtained to perpetuate deceit in furtherance of DSP Mohammed Isa Hamman’s fraudulent intentions and this is another reason why the suspected forged letter of retirement being brandished by DSP Mohammed Isa Hamman is being investigated.”
Misau responds
Senator Missau said he did not desert the Police Force and that he followed due process before leaving. During an appearance at Channels Television, the Senator presented a letter which he said was received from the Police Service Commission (PSC) to buttress his claim.
On the programme, he said,
“I am surprised. You should know that the issue of appointment, the issue of promotion, the issue of discipline, the issue of disengagement all lie under the Police Service Commission. For him (Moshood) to say he doesn’t know whether I retired (is surprising) because this is a letter from the Police Service Commission – and the regulation, which says if you want to go on retirement what you need to do is to give three months’ notice or you pay one month (salary) in lieu of notice.”
He also presented a document which contains the N124,387, in lieu of the notice.
More revelations
Speaking at the floor of Senate, Misau accuse the IG of sexual affairs with police officers He claimed Mr Idris impregnated two female officers and arranged a secret wedding with one of them in Kaduna.
“The IG is openly having two relationships with policewomen who he gave special promotions. One of them is Amina and one of them is DSP Esther which the IG on 15th of last month got married to that woman DSP. Under police act and regulation, you cannot marry a serving woman police unless that woman retires.
“He quickly did a secret wedding in Kaduna because the lady is four months pregnant. I am saying this because of the institution – that institution I am supposed to be a stakeholder in that institution. It is the institution that brought me here which I’m proud of.”
Police probe
The Nigerian Police invited the Senator to appear before the Special Investigations Committee with his letter of Retirement which he claimed was issued to him by the Force.
Excerts of the Statement by Ikechukwu Ani, the spokesman of the Police Service Commission, reads
“The Police Service Commission has invited Senator Isah Hamma Misau, Chairman Senate Committee on Navy to appear before its Special Panel investigating allegations surrounding the now rested recommendations on Special promotions in the Nigeria Police Force on Wednesday, 6th September, 2017 at 11.00am.
“It noted that it received correspondence from the Nigeria Police Force Special Investigation Panel (SIP) Force Headquarters dated 28th August, 2017 relating to the Senators retirement from the Nigeria Police Force”.
“Senator Misau is invited to appear before the panel with the original copy of his letter of retirement for authentication.”
The Senator refused to honour the invitation saying the police cannot be the judge over his own case.
“I shunned it because the PSC cannot oversee a case they have interest in. But before they wrote me, I had requested for the list of all beneficiaries of Police Special Promotion since 2009 from the PSC in line with Freedom of Information (FOI) law.”
In a telephone conversation with the PUNCH, he said “
You cannot be the judge in your own case. If really their hands are clean, they should bring an independent body. They brought the invitation (to me) because of fear.
“Under the Freedom of Information Act, they should make something like that public. It means they are not fair in what they are doing. If there is no corruption (in the process), they should make it public.
“They set up a panel led by one retired judge but the allegation is against them (police) and you cannot be the judge in your own case.”
The Senate has already set-up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the actions level against the IG by the Senate.
In the suit filed against the Senator at the Federal High Court, there is a seven count charge of contravening Section (1)(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
It reads
“That you, lsah Hamman Misau of Hamman Misau Residence, Turaki Street, Misau, Bauchi State, on or about August 10, 2017, at Abuja and other part of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make a false statement of fact to wit: that police officers pay as much as two million, five hundred thousand naira (N2.5m) to get special promotion and posting through the Police Service Commission as published in the Daily Trust Newspaper dated August 10, 2017, knowing that such false statement of fact would harm the reputation of Mr. Ibrahim Kpotun ldris (the serving Inspector-General of Police), the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission and you thereby committed an offence
“That you, Isah Hamman Misau of Hamman Misau Residence, Turaki Street, Misau, Bauchi State, on or about October 5, 2017, at Abuja and other part of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make a false statement of fact to wit: that about ten billion naira (N10bn) is being received by the Inspector-General of Police on a monthly basis from oil companies, banks, hotels and individuals as bribes for police protection and that is why you see people of dubious character with sirens in the country which said false statement of fact was aired in the Channels Television programme tagged ‘Politics Today’ on August 27, 2017, and published in the Daily Trust Newspaper dated October 5, 2017, knowing that such false statement of fact would harm the reputation of Mr. Ibrahim Kpotun Idris (the serving Inspector-General of Police), the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission and you thereby committed an offence.
“That you, Isah Hamman Misau of Hamman Misau Residence, Turaki Street, Misau, Bauchi State, on or about October 5, 2017 at Abuja and other part of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make a false statement of fact to wit: that the Inspector-General of Police diverted money meant for the purchase of Armoured Personnel Carriers for the purchase of SUVs or exotic cars which said false statement of fact was aired in the Channels Television programme tagged ‘Politics Today’ on the August 27, 2017, and published in the Daily Trust Newspaper dated October 5, 2017, knowing that such false statement of fact would harm the reputation of Mr. Ibrahim Kpotun Idris (the serving Inspector-General of Police) and the Nigeria Police Force and you thereby committed an offence.
“That you, Isah Hamman Misau of Hamman Misau Residence, Turaki Street, Misau, Bauchi State, on or about October 5, 2017, at Abuja and other part of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make a false statement of fact to wit: that the incumbent Inspector-General of Police, based on available records, series of petitions and reports from insiders, has no capacity to run the police just like the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, the IGP Mike Okiro, who also lacks similar capacity going by N300m scam and others hanging on his neck since 2011 during the presidential primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party, where he served as the head of the security committee, which said false statement of fact was published in the THISDAY Newspaper and The Punch Newspaper both dated August 26, 2017, knowing that such false statement of fact would harm the reputation of Mr. Ibrahim Kpotun ldris (the serving Inspector-General of Police), retired IGP Mike Okiro, the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission and you thereby committed an offence.
“That you, Isah Hamman Misau of Hamman Misau Residence, Turaki Street, Misau, Bauchi State, on or about October 5, 2017, at Abuja and other part of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make a false statement of fact to wit: that about ten billion naira (N10,000,000,000.00) is being received by the Inspector-General of Police on a monthly basis from oil companies, banks, hotels and individuals as bribes for police protection and that is why you see people of dubious character with sirens in the country, which said false statement of fact was aired in the Channels Television programme tagged ‘Politics Today’ on August 27, 2017 and published in the Daily Trust Newspaper dated October 5, 2017, knowing that such false statement of fact would harm the reputation of Mr. Ibrahim Kpotun Idris (the serving Inspector-General of Police), the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission and you thereby committed an offence.”
The charges filed before the Federal High Court read in part, “That you, lsah Hamman Misau of Hamman Misau Residence, Turaki Street, Misau, Bauchi State, on or about January 28, 2011 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make a false document to wit: Affidavit in Support of Personal Particulars of Persons seeking election to the Office/Membership of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (INEC FORM C.F. 001/2011), which you submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, knowing it to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
“That you, lsah Hamman Misau of Hamman Misau Residence, Turaki Street, Misau, Bauchi State on or about January 28, 2011 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did utter a false document to wit: Affidavit in Support of Personal Particulars of Persons seeking election to the Office/Membership of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (INEC FORM C.F. 001/2011) which you submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission knowing it to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
“That you, Isah Hamman Misau of Hamman Misau Residence, Turaki Street, Misau, Bauchi State, on or about December 16, 2014, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did utter a false document to wit: Affidavit in Support of Personal Particulars of Persons seeking election to the Office/Membership of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (INEC FORM C.F. 001/2015) which you submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission knowing it to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
“That you, Isah Hamman Misau of Hamman Misau Residence, Turaki Street, Misau, Bauchi State, on or about December 15, 2014, at the Independent National Electoral Commission Headquarters, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did utter a false document to wit: a Statutory Declaration of Age deposed to at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on December 15, 2014, by submitting same to the Independent National Electoral Commission knowing it to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act.”
