Ejiofor Alike writes that the new Commander of the Inspector General of Police (IG)’s Intelligence Response Team, Deputy Commissioner of Police Tunji Disu, may have to up the ante on intelligence gathering to wear the big shoes of his predecessor, DCP Abba Kyari, a crack detective
In an apparent move to boost the capacity of the Nigeria Police to gather intelligence and respond swiftly to violent crimes, its high Command had created the Inspector-General of Police (IG) Intelligence Response Squad (IRT), and the Special Tactical Squad (STS).
Unlike the Police Mobile Force (PMF), and other special response outfits, which are merely the attack arms of the police, the IRT is reputed for its intelligence gathering capacity and ability to also attack.
IRT is well-equipped with human and material resources to gather intelligence and respond appropriately.
The IRT is also equipped to carry out the functions of PMF and SARS in confronting bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, armed robbers and other violent criminals.
Despite the numerous allegations that he soiled his hands with the innocent blood of many Nigerians and also connived with criminals to rob innocent people of their money and property, DCP Abba Kyari had no doubt excelled in investigating, detecting and responding to violent crimes across Nigeria.
Before he moved to Abuja to head the IRT, Kyari, as the head of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Lagos was behind the arrest of the leader of a notorious robbery gang believed to have terrorised Lagos and other South-west states for 14 years.
The robbery kingpin, identified as Abiodun Ogunjobi, aka, Abbey Godogodo, had met his waterloo in July 2013 when SARS operatives led by Kyari, laid ambush for him at his mansion at Egbeda area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
Godogodo’s gang came to national limelight on July 7, 2013, when it murdered seven persons at O4 Hotel, a popular hotel in Ajah area of Lagos, including the owner, Olarinwaju Subair.
His gang had also killed two security guards at a popular hotel, along Apapa Road, Ebute-Meta area of Lagos State on the same day.
Godogodo had coordinated several bank robberies in Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Osun states and had also killed no fewer than 50 policemen, before Kyari brought him to justice.
Kyari’s SARS had also played prominent role in the fall of a notorious kidnapper, Henry Chibueze, who had terrorised the South-east, South-south and other parts of the country.
Armed with an AK-47 assault rifle, Chibueze had on February 16, 2013, stormed the home of his girlfriend, Miss Sandra Ijedinma, at Igando area of Lagos State, and opened fire on everyone in the apartment.
His girlfriend, Sandara, her elder sister, Mrs. Praise Ozor and her two children died in the attack.
He also went to a nearby street where one of Sandra’s elder sisters had resided and killed her and three of her children, bringing the death toll to eight, before he fled.
The notorious kidnapper was angry because Sandra had called off their relationship, after she learnt that her fiancé was a kidnapper.
While he escaped to Ivory Coast, Kyari had trailed his gang members to Abia, Delta and Rivers states, where he arrested seven members of his gang, who were behind the kidnap of a British national, Diction Lee, abducted on Airport Road, Ikeja, few minutes after he arrived Nigeria.
He later regrouped with his gang in Imo State and kidnapped over 200 persons in South-east and South-south, killing most of his victims.
However, when he attempted to kidnap the tribunal judges, handling Election Petition in Imo State, at their lodge, in Disney Hotels, along Onitsha -Owerri Road, in July 2015, the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), swooped on him, but he escaped with bullet wounds.
DSS operatives later rearrested him, while treating the wounds in the house of his elder brother’s wife, in Ohafia, Abia State.
When Kyari joined the IRT, the outfit on June 2017 arrested a suspected vicious kidnapper and armed robber, Mr. Chukwudubem Onwuamadike, aka, Evans, less than a month after the police placed a N30 million bounty in return for information leading to his arrest.
In recognition of this feat, Police Service Commission (PSC) had in April 2018 approved special promotion of 45 police officers and acting appointments for another 13 officers who played major roles in the arrest of Evans and 21 members of his gang.
Kyari’s IRT had also tracked and arrested the alleged Taraba notorious kidnap kingpin, Mr. Bala Hamisu, aka, Wadume, at Ibi town in Taraba State on August 6, 2019, during which the IG’s team suffered heavy casualties in the hands of the military personnel, led by Captain Tijani Balarabe, who rescued the suspect before he was rearrested by the IRT several days later.
Indeed, Kyari broke the record in the crime-busting efforts of the Nigeria Police Force.
But with his alleged unholy alliance with Hushpuppi, there are strong indications that the ‘super cop’ may have also engaged in other grievous unprofessional conducts in the course of his exploits.
However, his achievements in crime fighting and intelligence gathering cannot be obliterated.
His successor, Disu, also an excellent police officer, had led the Nigeria Police contingent on African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to quell the crisis in the war-torn Darfur in 2005.
He had also excelled as the Commander of the Lagos State Rapid Respond Squad (RRS), popularly known as the “Good Guys”, which reduced the high rate of crime drastically in the state.
Until his new appointment, Disu was the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The new head of IRT is an exceptional operations officer but in the area of intelligence/investigation, he was only known to have served as the Deputy Head of the State CID, Rivers State.
Disu may have to up the ante on intelligence gathering to fit into Kyari’s big shoes.
