By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti.
The new Commissioner of Police,Ekiti state Command,Mr. Abdulahi Chafe has debunked the insinuation that he was under instruction to work against the state governor,Mr. Ayodele Fayose but rather to fight crime and criminality.
But a section of Ekiti elders had on Saturday,criticized the Inspector General of Police,Mr. Ibrahim Idris for transferring the former Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu without the knowledge of Governor Ayodele Fayose describing this as an alleged grand design to rig the 2018 governorship poll.
He also denied the rumour milling rounds that he is from Katsina State,the country home of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he is from Chafe in Tsafe Local Government area of Zamfara State.
The new CP,who assumed office in Ekiti last Friday,said he was transferred to the State from Kogi by the IG to fight crime and promised not to sacrifice professionalism on the altar of politics that could taint his career.
Addressing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti,the state capital on Tuesday, Chafe said his mission in Ekiti is to sanitize it and make it a no-go-area for criminals,so that investors can see the state as a safe haven.
He promised to sustain all the anti-crime strategies and structures already built by his predecessor to combat crime,adding that he would dialogue with the driver unions and administrators of all the tertiary institutions in Ekiti to reduce disruption of public peace,cultism and the popular ‘yahoo boys’.
“I am not under any instruction to come here to fight anybody. Even when I was transferred, I did not even know that Ekiti election is coming soon,it was when I got here that I knew that election is coming up here soon.
“I value my profession and personality above any other thing. Even if you check all the elections that had been conducted recently, President Buhari didn’t interfere in police works. So,I am here to perform my statutory duties.
“I am a Nigerian and wherever I go to,I see myself as part of that community and I can’t come here to cause trouble. I have worked in all the six geopolitical zones of the country and I have good records.
“I am old enough to form my own principles and these principles will surely guide me in the discharge of my duties”, he said.
He promised that his men will sustain and improve the raiding of all black spots in Ado- Ekiti and motor parks if the sales of Indian Hemp and other hard drugs is not stopped.
Chafe appealed to members of the public to cooperate with his men and offer useful information to tackle crime in Ekiti.