From Molly Kilete, Abuja
THE Nigerian Police Force Headquarters, yesterday, said it has not received a presidential directive to re-open the murder case of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige.
The police also denied that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, initiated moves to reopen the case of the deceased former Attorney General to restore public confidence in the police.
The media has been awashed with reports of the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to reopen the case of the late Ige, who was killed in his Bodija, Ibadan residence on December 23, 2001.
Individuals and groups had applauded the president’s decision to reopen the case to bring the perpetrators to justice.
But, in a swift reaction, the police said the report was not true and described it as the imagination of the writers as the Force Headquarters had not got any such directive.
Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, who made this known in an interview with Daily Sun, in Abuja, also said it was not true that the IGP has set up an investigative panel to re-examine all available evidence in the murder case with a view to commencing prosecution of suspects.
Awunah said the case, which is in court was not closed in the first place to warrant the IGP’s order that it be reopen.
“Nobody has given the IGP directive to reopen the murder case of chief Bola Ige, as far as the police authority is concerned. The IGP has also not initiated any move or plans to reopen the case, neither did he set up any investigative panel to arrest and prosecute the suspects. I can tell you that these are all speculations and imaginations of those that initiated the rumor. The case was charged to court and state can proceed on anytime.”