Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The Katsina State Government has refuted a report published by one of the national dailies (not THISDAY) claiming that the State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, had passed a vote of no confidence on the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Usman Baba.
The Director-General of Media to Governor Masari, Abdu Labaran Malumfashi, who addressed journalists at the Government House, yesterday, on behalf of the governor, insisted that his principal had not passed a vote of no confidence on the police chief.
This is coming as the Katsina State Police Command described the publication as false, fake, mischievous and calculated attempt by those it termed evil machinations of fifth columnists to put the image of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) into disrepute.
Abdu, while describing the publication as a blatant lie, added that the state government was disappointed over the headline of the newspaper.
He said: “As far as we are concerned, the Governor (Masari) has never passed a vote of no confidence on the Inspector-General of Police. The newspaper lied about the story. The headline didn’t reflect what actually happened, unless the newspaper is trying to play someone or some people else’s card.
“The state government is disappointed by the headline of the newspaper. The governor never said anything related to what the headline said. The next line of action would be made known after the state government discusses with the management of the newspaper.
Meanwhile, the state police command, in a statement issued yesterday by its Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah, christened, ‘Re-Masari Passes Vote of No Confidence in IGP’, urged members of the public to discredit the report.
Isah, in the statement, added that the NPF would not be distracted by the activities of the evil machinations who were out to feed the public with falsehood intended to cause panic and disaffection.
He said: “The attention of the Katsina State Police Command has been drawn to the Sun Newspaper Publication of Friday, 3rd September, 2021 with the above mentioned caption. The Command wishes to categorically state that the publication was false, fake, mischievous and a calculated attempt to put the image of the Nigeria Police Force into disrepute.
“The fact of the matter was that on 2nd September, 2021, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Alkali Usman Baba, psc+, fdc, NPM, visited Katsina State Police Command on a one-day working visit and as the tradition demands, he paid a courtesy visit on His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, CFR, in his office at the Government House, Katsina.
“The IGP was warmly received by the state governor, some members of the state executive council, the legislature, the Deputy Governor, the State Chief Judge, and Senator representing Katsina Southern Senatorial District among other important personalities, including many journalists from the Katsina State Correspondents’ Chapel.”
He added, “The command wishes to emphasise that there was no time the state governor made such remarks of no confidence on the Inspector-General of Police, during the visit but to our chagrin, the Sun Newspaper correspondent was the only journalist that mischievously crafted the fake story of vote of no confidence.
“The command urges members of the public to discountenance the fake news, as the Nigeria Police Force will not be distracted by the evil machinations of fifth columnists who are hell bent on feeding the public with falsehood intended to cause panic and disaffection”.
