Recently, the social media was inundated with stories of the travails currently being faced by the former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris.
While some of the assertions were true, others were half-truths and others totally misrepresented. In fact, some of the issues were downplayed, hence, did not represent the true picture of the predicament the former IGP is currently facing.
It is, therefore, time for some of us who are watching the situation at a close range to correct the misrepresentation being circulated around.
Indeed, this is not the best of times for the former number one police officer who was and remained one of the celebrated officers in the area of operations in the Nigeria Police Force.
Trouble started for the former IGP Idris when, in 2017, he got married to his Borno-born new wife, a former DSP in the Nigeria Police Force, Asta.
Things, however, began to change for both his immediate and extended family members few months after the wedding.
It is the pride of any family or community to identify with one of their own who is blessed or elevated by the Almighty Allah to any high position in life.
However, this was not the case with the family and relations of the former IGP immediately he married his estranged wife.
Few days after his wedding with his new wife- Asta, the IGP began to keep distance from his biological children. They could not have access to him, let alone other members of his extended family.
Another predicament that befell the former IG was that, few days after the wedding, he divorced his wife that has been with him long before he became IG.
Sources close to him alleged that the divorce letter Idris gave his wife, Barrister Asmau, was not written by him, but he was forced to sign it.
Few months later, the new wife allegedly changed the titles of most of the properties bought by the former IGP over the years.
The unusual behavior of the former IGP Idris caught the attention of most prominent sons of his town who vowed to rescue their brother (Idris) from the ‘powers’ that are holding him hostage.
Findings have, however, indicated that the former IGP is beginning to realise his mistakes and had since given Asta a 3-stage divorce letter. What that means Islamically is that there is no way the two can remain as husband and wife again.
In fact, it is almost practically impossible for Asta to remain as his wife. The marriage has been dissolved, hence, she cannot lay claim to being a wife to the former IGP.
The relations to the former IGP have, at various times, pleaded that Asta should leave him alone to enable him foster unity among his peers and to, as well, focus on his future endeavours.
In fact, as it is now, the relations of the former IGP are not happy with the estrange woman because, according to them, she has abused him enough.
She has also allegedly sent his children away from him. To the relations, the behavior exhibited by the estranged wife does not show her as a good, dependable and trustworthy woman.
The family members are particularly not happy with what they termed humiliation of highest order, alleging that Asta, often times, in an effort to keep the former IGP away from his relations locked him up in the room and go out with the key.
The close relations also alleged that the former IG changes his phone numbers regularly, just to avoid people from having access to him. This, to them, is the handiwork of the estranged wife.
It was alleged that three weeks ago, she locked him up, went out with the key, the former IGP had to scream at the top of his voice, thereby attracting the attention of neigbours who rescued him.
When they forcefully opened the door, they discovered that she prepared white yam and red oil and kept for him. They are pleading that Asta should have the fear of God and leave the former IG alone, stressing that except she has an ulterior motive.
Seeing that for the past two years that the marriage lasted, the former IGP does not know anything about his children, the relations are suspecting that the estranged wife has a motive that is not good on the former number one police officer.
Very close relations to the former IG said that they suspected that Asta did not come to the marriage with good intention when, immediately after Idris retired, he went to Lesser Hajj to give thanks to the Almighty for keeping him safe in the Force these 35 years, she went with him, but refused to go to the Holy mosque to perform the lesser Hajj.
According to them, she remained in the hotel till the end of their stay in the Holy land and returned back to Nigeria. This, to them, showed that her heart is not clean.
All that the relations are saying is that enough is enough of the ill-treatment meted on their brother, hence, since the former IGP had successfully dissolved the marriage, she should leave him alone so that he can gather the remaining pieces of his life in his personal house in Bida, Niger state.
Currently, contrary to rumours making the rounds, the former IGP is not in Etsu Nupe’s Palace as being insinuated but rather in his personal house in Bida, together with his children receiving visitors and friends from all over the country.
Saulawa writes from Minna
