By Chizoba Ogbeche
Abuja
The Nigeria Police has commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged theft of the mobile phone of the Executive Secretary of the World Muslim League, Saudi Arabia, Dr. Abdullahi Bin Abdul, at the National Mosque, Abuja.
Bin Abdul who was among delegates to the international conference on peace and stability in Abuja, reportedly led Jumat prayer at the National Mosque on Friday after which his phone went missing.
A Police source told Blueprint that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, was under pressure to resolve the matter by bringing to book the culprit.
According to the source President Muhammadu Buhari who was embarrassed at the development has ordered a full investigation into the security breach that resulted in the theft of the mobile phone.
He said: “I can tell you that the president is not taking the matter lightly as it is a major diplomatic blow to the image of the country. He has ordered a review of the security protocol for visiting dignitaries as well as has directed that the mobile phone is retrieved while those responsible are apprehended to face the law immediately.”
The senior officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said attention was being at security personnel, especially close-body security guards, as the Police have been directed to work round the clock to unravel the ‘mystery’.
A resident who worships at the National Mosque regularly told our correspondent that stealing at the Mosque was not uncommon as is to be expected in places with high number of people at any particular time.
The legal practitioner who did not want his name in print said that the incident was raising dust only because it involved a foreign personality, he said even the secretariat of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), located within the premises of the Mosque, was recently burgled but did not receive such attention.
Our correspondent was unable to reach the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Olabisi Kolawole, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), to confirm the incident and ascertain the level of investigation, as she did not pick her calls and did not respond to text messages sent to her.
