Recovery of 30 police vehicles: FG under pressure to arrest Soloman Arase

Some Nigerians have called on the federal government to take action against former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, after police detectives recovered no fewer than 30 vehicles belonging to the Nigeria Police Force from the former IGP and other retired senior police officers.

Current IGP, Ibrahim Idris, had accused Arase of taking more than the 4 vehicles he was entitled to, as a retiring IGP.

The recovery of the vehicles from the retired officers comes after the current IGP, Ibrahim Idris, told the media about the disappearance of police vehicles from the parking lot at the Force headquarters in Abuja in July.

He accused Arase of taking more than the number of vehicles entitles to a retiring IGP and called for the return of the missing vehicles.

But the former IGP had denied taking away 24 vehicles, insisting that all the vehicles bought by the police under him were distributed to the state commands and other appropriate units of the Nigeria Police Force.

Below are some pictures of the cars recovered from Arase and other senior police officers:

He accused the police of media propaganda and challenged the force to publish the registration numbers of the vehicles he went away with.

However, Arase on Tuesday, December 27, admitted to carting away some official vehicles, claiming that he did it to protest the demeaning ways his successor handled the issue in public.

But the confession by Arase has generated a backlash from some Nigerians who have queried why he and other police officers tried to appropriate government cars.

Others called the retired IGP a rogue and urged the government to jail him immediately

See reactions below:

Elliot Ono: "Wow! Very astounding! An officer of the law,that took a oath of office to serve and uphold the law of the land is a Rogue! This person belongs in prison!"

El Nino: "So sad Nigerians disgrace themselves over cars. this BMW is 2013 model which does not even cost up to £15k anymore and for this now he may go to jail. Shame!!"

Ecomog Kings: "So Solomon came to steal and not to catch a thief, for it takes a thief, to catch a thief. Arase solomon is a big disgrace. Greedy thief. He should b made to cool off inside kuje."

Emmanuella Essien: "If he is indeed found guilty, let him be thrown to Kirikiri immediately."

Eniola Maslow: "Pls help torchlight all dis our retired Chief Justice as well, Dey all got new cars on yearly basis after paying huge amount 4 dem as der pension."

Fidel Azorji: "No body is above the. If they are found guilty, kudje remains their base."

Obinna Ukaigwe: "Jail them for robbery."

Moronkeji Adegbile: "Imagine everybody retiring goes away with this number of vehicles, Nigeria will have nothing to work with ! Buhari, where is the Change you promised?"

Ademuwagun Kamoru: "Shame!!! When he was first accused, he denied vehemently. Nw breeze don blow, fawl yash don open."

Yusuf Umaru: "Pictures don't lie, and the guy was making noise denying."

Akano Joel Kolawole: "Haba, ex-I G, this is bad. As a retired senior citizen what will u be doing with these cars? U can't use them as taxi to fetch you money. Why did u abuse your position and allow us judge you."

A few Nigerians however, defended Arase, insisting that the reports about the revered cars was an attempt to smear the reputation of the former IGP.

Isa Imodagbe: "The former inspector General of police Solomon Arase has been considered by most Nigerians as the best IG Nigeria ever had,so the current IG's mudslinging toward him cant change that fact!"

Patrick Ogaje: "This isn't witch-hunt, Mr. Solomon Arase served in this current administration before going on a retirement. And this act of taking public assets along with them when going on retirements has been happening, God knows for how long. Other top retired police officers from 1999, talking about the likes of Tafa Balogun, although he was detained during OBJ's administration for an alleged corruption charge, but was never convicted by any court of jurisdiction at that time, Mike Okiro, loads of the deputy IGs, and other top corrupt officers, both serving and retired."

Shuaibu Yusuf Pls: "leave this man alone he has tried for nation's security."

Where do you stand on the issue, should Arase and other senior officers be prosecuted for taking away the police vehicles?