COVER STORIES

Tidjani: Police trail 79 others

Monday, December 15, 2003

LAGOS—THE police are on the trail of 79 people believed to be accomplices of the suspected cross border robbery kingpin, Hammani Tidjani, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, said weekend in Lagos. The suspected accomplices were allegedly named by Tidjani during interrogation as either receivers of stolen goods or robbers.
Tidjani himself last Friday appeared before an Abeokuta Chief Magistrate Court on a 30-count charge of robbery, stealing and receiving stolen goods, 174 short of the 204 counts the police said he would face. Mr. Balogun explained that the 30 counts the accused was slammed with in Abeokuta were the offences he committed in Ogun State alone."I’m telling you that he will face 204 counts," the IG said, adding: "He will be charged in Lagos, Ibadan and Edo State in connection with the robbery of Oshiomhole’s (NLC Presidents) jeep.
"In fact, he (Tidjani) may face more counts," he said.
Mr. Balogun gave no details of Tidjani’s alleged accomplices they were looking for, but said investigation into the accused persons’ activities had not been completed.
Tidjani, following his appearance at the Abeokuta Magistrate court, was ordered to be remanded in prison custody.
On discipline in the police, Mr. Balogun said: "We are 293,000 people in the force, all of us cannot be good." But, he said, this would not stop him from looking for, and weeding bad eggs. "We’ll have to stop indiscipline in the force. Some people will have to go," he declared.