A civil society organisation, Rising-Up for a United Nigeria (RUN), has raised the alarm over alleged plot by persons it describes as unscrupulous elements to blackmail the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun.

The CSO’s claim is coming after series of coordinated media attacks on the person and office of the Inspector General of Police.

RUN which prides itself as the bastion of good governance and public accountability revealed that desperate elements bent on sabotaging national security have ganged up to link the impeccable personality of Mr. Kayode Egbetokun to one IBD Dende, an alleged smuggler in order to blackmail and implicate the IGP.

In a press release signed and made available to journalists in Abuja over the weekend by its National Convener, Amb. Solomon Adodo, the group described as criminal and unpatriotic, attempts to drag the IGP in the mud and tarnish his hard earned professional reputation with the hope of ousting him out of office.

According to the release, “we have read with outmost dismay, attempts by some callous elements who are opposed to the gains of the renewed hope agenda especially in the area of national security to use the media and make a hullabaloo about a harmless picture in which the IGP is obliviously seen with the said IDP Dende at a public event.

“The unsubstantiated lies that Mr. Egbetokun is providing cover for the alleged smuggling kingpin is nothing but a figment of imagination of those whose stock in trade is blackmail. The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) does not protect Nigerian borders and cannot therefore provide cover for any criminal operating across the border.

“Mr. Kayode Egbetokun is a disciplined and highly professional officer who has sanitised the NPF since assumption of office. The proactive manner in which he has tackled crimes, including kidnapping, terrorism, banditry and cattle rustling should be commended instead of these coordinated attacks”.

The CSO urged the IGP to resist all forms of distractions and continue his dogged and determined fight of making Nigeria safe as Nigerians are too knowledgeable to allow miscreants to diminish his towering efforts.

“There is a consensus amongst Nigerians that this is the best IGP in the history of Nigeria. The reduction in crime rate as well as the professionalism in the NPF are his direct efforts. It is no longer news that those fighting him are those he put out of business and we are solidly behind him as he roars to eliminate crime in the country. He cannot be swayed by naysayers”, the statement added.

While calling on Mr. President to disregard those they described as saboteurs seeking to ruin his administration, the group predicted that very soon, these merchants of mischief will start calling for the sack of the IGP to allow room for a misfit who will allow them to perpetrate their nefarious acts.

“Mr. President, we have absolute confidence in your leadership. Do not allow mercenaries to exploit your anti-corruption stance by attacking and condemning your appointees who are standing in their way. This is a trap and you must not fall into it.

“Predictably, these charlatans will in subsequent days bombard the media with calls for the sack of the IGP. Please, do not listen to them because they are not fighting against any wrong doing but merely trying to remove the fine gentleman who is a stumbling block to their criminal syndicates. Do not let them win and in turn jeopardise the gains recorded so far in the fight against crime”, the statement concluded.