By Ebinum Samuel
In a passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, no fewer than 400 registered police auctioneers have called on him to as a matter of great urgency, rescue them from hunger occasioned by the Inspector-general of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun’s decision on the sales of police auction vehicles.
In the sombre and heart-wreching message to the president, the auctioneers, through their spokesman, Adejumo Fasasi, disclosed that since the assumption of office in June last year by IGP Egbetokun, only an individual auctioneer is authorized by the police high command to carry out the sales of police auction vehicles. This, Fasasi disclosed has led to hunger on other members he put at 400 with their families.
He expressed concerned over the failing health of police auctioneers which he attributed to depression and hunger. Fasasi claimed that none of his 400 members has sold any vehicle in this past 14 months that Egbetokun is in charge.
“Since the advent of the first indigenous Inspector-general of Police in 1964 , there has never been a time when an individual was appointed to auction all police vehicles nationwide. This is the first time only an auctioneer is saddled with the responsibility of auction sales. Is this not a classical case of stinking corruption?
“Mr president, it has been alleged at the force headquarters in Abuja that the order for an individual, Chief Ayogun to sell police auction came directly from your office.Our members nationwide are not convinced of this.
We are appealing to you, President Tinubu, not only to check this anomaly, but prevail on IGP Egbetokun to rescind his decision as what he did has visited us with deprivation, hunger, poverty, sickness and squalor “
“We want this to be urgently addressed by our president as failure to do so could morph into an unpleasant situation. We beg president Tinubu to give a marching order to IGP Egbetokun to revert to the status quo with regards to our sincere appeal, so to prevent our now jobless colleagues from commiting mass suicide “