Why IGP ordered immediate release of all impounded vehicles at police stations to owners – Nairametrics

The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has explained why the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, ordered the immediate evacuation of all accidented, impounded and unregistered vehicle exhibits from police stations across the nation.

The police said that the order was given due to the unprofessional and disgusting manner in which these vehicles were indiscriminately packed at the police stations which is an eyesore.

This disclosure is contained in a press statement signed by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who said that the development was taken as part of efforts to make the police stations more presentable.

Adejobi said that IGP Usman directed the various heads of police stations to follow a scrutinised process to see the vehicles reach the right owners.

What the Nigerian Police Force is saying

The Police Spokesman in the statement said that the owners of such impounded vehicles are expected to approach police stations with valid proof to reclaim their property.

The statement from the NPF reads,

• “The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, has ordered the immediate evacuation of all impounded, accidented and unregistered exhibit vehicles from Police Stations nationwide.
• “The order is predicated on the incessant embarrassing and unprofessional manner in which these vehicles are stacked within police facilities causing nuisance and disgusting sight at Police Stations.
• “The IGP frowns at the practice of stockpiling vehicles recovered from crime scenes or vehicles, which their ownership is being contested or in doubt, in police premises with stringent requirements and cumbersome processes for the rightful owners to reclaim them; stressing that such an act would no longer be tolerated as it is tantamount to gross abuse of administrative and judicial processes.
• “The IGP further emphasises that heads of police stations and formations should embark on due process to carry out the needful evaluation and release such vehicles in these categories, on bond, to their owners.
• “The IGP reiterates that the directive is part of efforts being put in place by his administration to ensure a conducive working environment for its personnel in order to set in motion such required strategies to combat crime and criminality in the country.
• “The IGP further assures that decongesting the police stations and facilities nationwide would be of great operational advantage to the force in effectively dispensing its policing responsibilities and giving succour to the owners of such exhibit vehicles.’’

The IGP, therefore, called on all concerned members to provide valid proof of ownership and proper means of identification to enable them to approach various police stations/formations for the recovery and claims of their vehicles.

What you should know

• The Nigeria Police Force has always decried the indiscriminate way police formations have been littered with vehicles that are damaged by accidents or parked as exhibits.
• The Lagos State police command had in February 2021, warned against the indiscriminate parking of vehicles damaged by accidents in police formations across the state threatening to dispose of the vehicles and other items through a public auction at the expiration of the ultimatum.

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