Trail Reporters
Reports reaching Trail Reporters news desk reveals that, the ongoing investigation over alleged fraud of over N3 billion involving the former Rector of Delta State Polytechnic, Oghara, Clara Sogbaike and her gangster of looters, by the President, through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, is in the advanced stage.
Investigation indicates that the President through the AGF had in March 2017 forwarded a letter signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Justice on Financial Crimes, Mr. Kehinde Oginni on behalf of the Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to both the anti graft agencies and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to forward the reports/updates of their ongoing investigations involving Clara Sogbaike and her cohorts.
We reliably gathered that, while the anti graft agencies have complied with the Presidential directives and forwarded their reports which seriously indicted Clara and her cohorts, the IG Ibrahim Idris, has flouted the Presidential directives to forward his reports/updates in order to protect the serious misconduct/corruption activities perpetrated by some very senior police officers including AIG Musa A. Daura(rtd) formally in Charge of Zone 5 Police Headquarters Benin- City, who aided, abetted and protected Clara Sogbaike and her cohorts from being arrested and prosecuted while a court order restraining the IGP, CP Delta and the Investigative Police Officers (IPOs) from arresting Clara and her gang was abandoned by the IGP’s men since September 2014 until only recently when a directive was given to the CP Legal to go and set aside the court order to enable investigators arrest the suspects and conclude their investigations.
Further discreet investigations carried out independently by our team of reporters, revealed that, the Presidential directives forwarded by the President through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to IGP Ibrahim Idris was further directed by the IG to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Force Criminal Intelligence & Investigation Department(FCIID) Force Headquarters, Abuja, DIG Hycent M. Dagala, to direct the Commissioner of Police in charge of General Investigation Section FCIID Abuja, CP Ado Lawal to forward their progress report/update of their investigation over alleged criminal offences reported against Clara Sogbaike and others.
Findings shows that, CP Ado Lawal has forwarded the progress report to DIG Hyacinth Dagala in charge of FCIID via Ref. No. CR: 3000/X/FHQ/ABJ/GI/TE/VOL. 26/153 on 19th May, 2017 for onward forwarding to the Presidency.
Further checks and confirmation by Trail Reporters revealed surprisingly, that DIG Hyacinth M. Dagala instead of forwarding the report to the Presidency as requested, he forwarded the report dated 7th June, 2017, to CP Legal/Prosecution Section via Ref. No. CR: 3000/X/FHQ/ABJ/VOL. 218/121 and received in CP Legal’s office on 15th June, 2017 to vacate the court order restraining the police from arresting Clara Sogbaike and others since 2014.
We gathered that, the decision of DIG Hyacinth M. Dagala to flout and outrightly disobey the Presidential directives may not be unconnected to the fact that the report if forwarded to the President as it is, many senior police officers who are indicted in the report for serious misconducts, negligence of duty, acts unbecoming of senior police officers, compromise and high level of corruption within the Police Force, will be exposed to the Presidency and those officers found culpable will be severely sanctioned and punished accordingly.
Reliably sources within the Legal/Prosecution Section Force Headquarters, Abuja, has also confirmed the diverted report which ought to be forwarded to Presidency, but was forwarded to CP Legal, has also been directed to Officer-in-Charge of Legal Section Police Command Headquarters, Asaba to file the necessary court processes in High Court Asaba in order to step aside the earlier judgement restraining police from arresting Clara and her cohorts.
Sources say, the Acting CP Legal, Barr. David Igbodo, worried by the great injustice over the case and the poor conduct of some of his men, has shown frantic and spirited efforts in ensuring justice is served as he has directed the Officer-in-Charge of Police Command Headquarters, Asaba to set aside that court judgement and bring the culprits to book.
As at the time of going to the Press, no report from the office of the IGP/DIG FCIID has been forwarded to the President through the AGF/Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) who is still awaiting the report for necessary action.
