President Muhammadu Buhari has denied knowledge of days which the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris spent in Benue State after he was ordered to relocate to the state.

President Buhari said this on Monday during a meeting with some stakeholders at the Government House in Makurdi, the state capital.

On January 9, the President had ordered the Inspector General of Police to immediately move to Benue State to restore law and order and prevent further loss of lives and properties, from escalating and spreading in the state.

Although Mr Idris obeyed the President’s directive, he reportedly left Benue State for Nasarwa State.

Addressing stakeholders at the Government House in Makurdi the President said he is just learning of the alleged noncompliance by the IGP but as a loyal leader, he will engage the IGP for inquires upon his return to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

“What I did was to call him and give him the directive. I didn’t know he moved here (Benue State) and didn’t spend … and then moved to Nasarawa. It’s only now that I am knowing that.

“But I know I dispatched him here,” the President said.

Buhari made this explanation following demands by Governor Samuel Ortom that the IGP steer clear of partisan politics as a Police Chief and desist from holding an opinion on which law to implement or not.

Buhari said further that as a leader loyalty is very important.

The President said he operates with this watchword. According to him, the IGP is slow in using the intelligence and resources available to him but as a loyal leader, all he did was give the directive to the IGP instead publicly exposing his incompetence.

Channelstv