BUKOLA Saraki, president of the Senate, said the upper legislative chamber would not spare any effort to shield its member from threats and harassment.

He made the declaration following an assassination attempt on Dino Melaye, the raid on the home of Danjuma Goje, both serving lawmakers in the eighth National Assembly as well as alleged plot to “mass arrest” members of the Red Chamber.

He spoke during the inauguration of the Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the attempted assassination on Melaye.

Saraki, who was represented by Ahmad Lawan, Senate leader, said investigation must be fully done by the committee, to protect members of the National Assembly against infringement and threats.

“The 1999 Constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to life. Like every Nigerian, a Senator or member of the Assembly deserves to be protected against infringement, threat and harassment.

“The reported incidence in Kogi State where armed assassins invaded the house of a sitting senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with the intention of taking his life is frightening and must be fully investigated.

“This is to ensure that no senator or member of the Legislature is put in a position where he or she will feel his life is threatened in such a manner as to affect his judgment and thereby weaken his moral compass and ability to act without fear or favour.

“The investigation will seek to unearth the remote and immediate issues connected with, and leading to the ugly incident.”

Saraki, therefore, called on members of the committee to discharge the task with great sense of responsibility, diligence and care.

In his welcome speech, Jibrin Barau, chairman of the Committee, said though “the circumstances surrounding these two unfortunate (Dino and Goje) incidents are still unclear,” the panel would probe deeply into the matter so as to report appropriately to the Senate.

He assured that the committee in carrying out its mandate, would do so with the utmost sense of duty, bearing in mind the seriousness of the assignments.

Saraki tough stand came in the wake of the alarm by the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday  of plots to invade his country home in Enugu and other apartments, under the guise of searching for looted funds.

—  May 15, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT