The suspension of Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Abduyari Lafia has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian Police Force, with many questioning the motivations behind the decision.

Lafia, who headed the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), was suspended on January 9, despite being cleared of wrongdoing by a police investigation report.

The controversy centres around a case involving the theft of N36 billion from a company, Woobs Resources Limited, which built a Mammy Market for the Nigerian Army in Lagos.

Lafia’s team recovered N1 billion and obtained a promise to refund N18 billion. However, a lawyer, Victor Ukut, petitioned the Inspector-General of Police and Minister of Police Affairs, accusing Lafia of abuse of office and other offences.

A police investigation report, dated December 16, last year, exonerated Lafia and his team, finding no evidence of robbery, forgery, or abuse of office. Instead, the report recommended that some individuals connected to Woobs Resources Limited be tried.

Despite the report, the Police Service Commission (PSC) suspended Lafia, sparking concerns about the independence and impartiality of the Police Force. Many are questioning why the PSC ignored the investigation report and suspended Lafia, fueling speculation about potential ulterior motives.

Lafia’s suspension has also raised questions about his previous clashes with a former IG over fraud investigations. Some are wondering if the suspension is a retaliation or an attempt to silence Lafia.

In a response to the development, the spokesperson of PSC, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, said: “I can tell you for sure that the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force complement each other. The Commission must have received a recommendation from the Police to suspend the officer so that they can carry out detailed investigation on the matter.’’

Credit: thenationonlineng.net