Mike Mbama Okiro

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Mike Mbama Okiro
Inspector General of the Nigerian Police
In office
2007–2009
Preceded by Sunday Ehindero
Succeeded by Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo
Personal details
Born (1949-07-24)24 July 1949
Oguta, Imo State
Nationality Nigerian
Alma mater University of Jos
Occupation Police officer, lawyer

Sir Mike Mbama Okiro was the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force from 2007 to 2009.[1]

Background

Mike Okiro was born on 24 July 1949 in Oguta, Imo State. He is the Agunechemba I of Egbema, and Nigeria's first ethnic Igbo to assume the post of police Inspector General.[1] He holds a degree in English Language from the University of Ibadan, a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Jos and an LLB.[2]

He joined the Nigerian Police in 1977. Operational and command positions include serving as DPO in several police stations, Member, Armed Robbery & Firearms Tribunal, Lagos State, Assistant & Deputy Commissioner of Police (operations), Lagos State and later Benue State. He received a double promotion from Commissioner of Police when he became Deputy Inspector-General of Police.[2] In June 2009, Okiro released a book titled "Policing Nigeria in a Democracy".[3]

Inspector General of Police

After his appointment as IGP in 2007 Okiro reinstated a number of officers who had been forced into early retirement, and promised to provide improved pay, housing and equipment to the police.[4] In November 2007, Okiro revealed that in the June–September 2007 period police had shot and killed 785 suspected armed robbers, while arresting 1,628 armed robbers. The Human Rights Watch organisation called for "an immediate public investigation of police activity since Okiro came to office".[5]

In August 2008, Okiro demoted 140 senior police officers including the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu.[6] In October 2008, Mike Okiro spoke on the responsibilities of the press, saying reporters should avoid sensationalism and should investigate any story carefully before reporting it.[7] In February 2009 he stated that banks neglected security in their branches because they had insurance coverage.[8]

Missing N16Bn Loot From Corruption Convict Ex-IGP Tafa Balogun

In November 2008 and again in February 2009, the Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, Abdul Ahmed Ningi, asked Mike Okiro to provide details of the money recovered from the former IGP Tafa Balogun, a request that he passed on to the EFCC chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri. However, the EFCC stated that they did not have records of the exact properties recovered from Balogun.[9] In April 2009, the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affair invited Tafa Balogun, Mike Okiro and Mrs Farida Waziri to explain how the N16 billion allegedly recovered from Balogun got missing.[10] The money was never recovered.

Intimidation against INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner of Ekiti State

In April 2009, Mrs. Ayoke Adebayo, Resident Electoral Commissioner of Ekiti State, wrote a letter to President Umaru Yar'Adua resigning from the Independent National Electoral Commission saying she would not yield to pressure to change election results in her state. Mike Mbamali Okiro declared that she must make herself available to the Nigerian Police within 24 hours.[11]

Haliburton Corruption Scandal

Mike Okiro headed a five-man inter-agency panel to investigate the $190 million Halliburton scandal in which it was alleged that KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton, had distributed bribes to politicians and officials to gain construction contracts from Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas.[12] In July 2009 it was found that a key suspect, Abdukadir Abacha, cousin of former military ruler General Sani Abacha, might have fled the country. President Yar'Adua ordered an interim report to ensure that the panel was not compromised or influenced during a planned visit abroad.[13] Although Abdukadir Abacha was never caught, President Yar'Adua congratulated Okiro on his retirement at age 60 in July 2009, for his achievements while in the IGP office.[14]

Refusal To Pay Bank Loan

Shortly before his retirement in July 2009, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) accused Mike Okiro of failing to repay a N166 million loan he obtained between 2000 and 2001 from the Lead Bank Ltd, which unable to recover the loan from Okiro, was thus forced into liquidation.[15] Okiro used a front company Hekiro Limited for the bank loan, as he had used in the Abuja land deal of 2008. Okiro was said to have obtained the loan to finance a pipeline contract awarded by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to his firm Hekiro Nigeria Limited.[16] Okiro threatened court action against the NDIC unless it tendered an unreserved apology, but the NDIC maintained their position.[17]

Refusal To Pay For Land

In 2008, Okiro again used his front company, Hekiro Limited, to buy a parcel of land at 795 Cadatral Zone in Gudu District Abuja from Igwe Godwin Madu, for N130 million, of which he deposited of N70 million. He then refused to pay the balance. He used the Nigerian Police Force to harass the seller to forego the outstanding amount. Madu then went to court but Okiro refused to show up in court and enter a defense. Instead, Okiro invited Madu to come to Louis Edet House, the national police headquarters, to force Madu to sign the "deed of assignment" for the land.[18]

Okiro filed a defense claiming that the land seller had refused to sign the deed of assignment. The judge then adjourned the case to request Madu to appear in court to sign the deed and collect the remainder of the payment from the IGP. But again Okiro did not turned up and the judge awarded a ruling in favor of the plaintiff. Okiro was instructed to pay the balance of N50 million and interests accrued at prevailing market rate.

His Children Connection and The Use Of Lagos Police Command

Modu put his children as directors of another front company Bharmoss Ventures Limited, a company in which his children were directors - Yvonne Okiro, Omolara Okiro, Innocent Okiro and Samuel Okiro, and Dickson Ibikunle. The company was registered in October 1993 and for their personal addresses in Bharmoss Ventures Ltd registration,the Okiro's children used 18 Ladejobi Street, Ikeja, Lagos. That is the official residence of the deputy commissioner of police in charge of administration in the Lagos Police Command, Ikeja. At that time, Mike Okiro was holding that same post. When Bharmoss Ventures Ltd was registered in 1993, some of his children-directors were barely older that 10 years old.[19] In 2004-2005, Bharmoss Ventures received huge unspecified contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)

Okiro's ownerships of plaza, hotel and casino, academic institution

Okiro owned a shopping plaza, the Yvonne Hotel and Casino in Lugbe, and a massive private school enterprise known as "Lugbe International Academy" The school is located in the Lugbe section of Abuja.Both the hotel and school are classified as illegal structures by the state.[19]

N2bn Police Recruitment Scam

On Jan 27, 2009, online news media Sahara Reporter reported that Mike Okiro was accused of scamming potential police recruits of N2 billion, out of the sum realized from N2000 charged each potential recruit who applied online. A committee of the House of Representatives recently learnt that Okiro planned to pay 60% of the realized amount to consultants. The consultancy fees amount to N1.2 billion.[20]

Post-retirement

Speaking in August 2009 after a farewell parade in his honour in Abuja, Mike Okiro spoke of problems with the system where the IGP does not have the authority to fulfill his responsibilities. He also said "The unkindest cut is the attack of a public officer after he has left office with the unholy belief that he is no longer in a position to defend himself."[21]

Appointed By President Jonathan as Chairman of The Police Service Commission

On May 8, 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan nominated Mike Okiro as the chairman of the Police Service Commission. Senate President David Mark confirmed Okiro's appointment after a senate confirmation hearing.[22]

Relationship With James Ibori and Nihu Ribadu

Nihi Ribadu, the former EFCC boss and a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, had told a London court that James Ibori was instrumental to Mike Okiro’s appointment as IGP, a claim Mr. Okiro debunked, accusing the former EFCC boss of falsehood. According to Ribadu, the former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, helped Okiro to secure his appointment as the IGP. Ibori also helped Okiro to be appointed as Chief Security Officer to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and later as Chairman of the Police Service Commission, PSC.[23]

Fraud at the Police Service Commission

On May 22, 2015, Mr. Aaron Kaase, a Principal Admin Officer(Press and Public Relations ) of the Police Service Commission complained the [Economic and Financial Crimes Commission], EFCC as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission,ICPC, detailing acts of corruption against Mike Okiro, in which he allegedly swindled the police service commission of over N275 million.

Aaron Kaase accused Mike Okiro of fraud when Okiro requested funding for staff training of 200 PSC officers from Lagos and another 200 from Kano.The PSC does not any office in Lagos and has less than 10 staff members in Kano.

The funding for the 4-days staff training was actually conducted by a friend of Okiro for under 2 hours in Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

Harassment by The Nigerian Police Force and the Police Service Commission

Soon after lodging the complaint against Okiro, Aaron Kaase was suspended from the PSC on May 27, 2015 and his salary denied to him. The suspension letter was however backdated to May 21, 2015. The PSC defended Okiro and labelled Kaase's allegations as " fictitious, frivolous and an affront on the Public Service Rules which clearly provides procedures for an aggrieved staff to pursue his/her grievance"[24] Similar action was also taken against Aaron Kaase's colleague Raymond Amase.

Appeal to President Buhari to Investigate Okiro

On May 29, 2015, Aaron Kaase in an open letter, requested that the newly elected Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the allegations against Mike Okiro. In that letter Okiro highlighted harassment by the police including being "guest" for two days, at the office of the Inspector-General of Police in Garki, Abuja. The police was investigating Aaron Kaase and his colleague Raymond Amase, based on complaint by Okiro accusing the two of "allegedly leaking official information and defamation of his character”.[25]

Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission Launches Investigation Against Okiro

Six days after Aaron Kaase sent the open letter to President Buhari, on June 4, 2015, Okiro was investigated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ICPC for a N350Mn fraudulent embezzlement of funds obtained by the police commission for an election-related study.[26][27] Several members of the PSC and staff of Mike Okiro were also jointly investigated.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ http://saharareporters.com/2011/07/21/former-ig-okiro-ordered-pay-n50-million-over-shady-land-deals
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 http://saharareporters.com/2008/08/21/police-liability-company-plc-inspector-general-police-igp-mike-okiro-and-sons-business
  20. ↑ http://saharareporters.com/2009/01/27/ig-mike-okiro-and-sons%E2%80%99-police-liability-company-plc
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ http://www.channelstv.com/2013/05/08/jonathan-appoints-former-igp-mike-okiro-as-chairman-police-service-commission/
  23. ↑ http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/145376-ribadu-lambasts-okiro-describes-ex-igp-corrupt-shameless-liar.html
  24. ↑ http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1245529?ref=feeds%2Fnewsiest
  25. ↑ http://dailypost.ng/2015/06/02/n500m-scam-psc-official-reports-okiro-to-buhari-wants-him-sacked/
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ http://saharareporters.com/2015/06/05/okiro-subdued-during-icpc-questioning-over-n350-million-fraud-allegations
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