BUKOLA Saraki, the Senate president, on Thursday, November 2, warned Ibrahim Idris, the inspector general of Police, IGP, against disregarding invitations from the Senate, particularly when they relate to allegations of corruption.

According to him, it is not right for the police boss as the country’s chief law enforcement officer to continue to treat the law with contempt.

Ruling on a motion brought before the upper chamber by the ad-hoc committee probing allegations of corruption against the IGP, Saraki maintained that no person or institution could stop the Senate from carrying out its constitutional duties.

“As the chief law enforcing officer, one will expect that he (IGP) should know what the law is.

“And I think that he is best advised to follow the law and ensure that he has nothing to hide, and come and appear like anyone else before the committee,” Saraki stated.

Francis Alimikhena, the chairman of the ad-hoc committee, had raised a point of order informing the Senate that the committee had given the police boss grace to appear before it on Tuesday, November 7, following his absence from Wednesday’s investigative hearing.

At the committee’s hearing on Wednesday, November 1, Alimikhena had threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on the IGP if he failed to appear before it on Tuesday, November 7, 2017.

Disappointed by the absence of the IGP, the committee declared that the excuse given by him was invalid.

The IGP had written to inform the panel through Alex Izinyon, SAN, his lawyer, that he had instituted cases in court on the matter, adding that appearing before the upper legislative chamber on the subject matter would be sub-judice.

But in a swift reaction, the committee chairman said the issues for which the police boss was invited preceded the court cases.

“Most of the allegations levelled against him (IGP) and virement were not part of what they went to court for. This committee was constituted before the IG went to court, the court case will not deter our committee because following the principles of separation of powers, no court can stop our committee.

“By Section 89(c) and (d) of the constitution, we are still going to invite the IGP to appear before us to answer specific questions like virement of 2016, 2017 appropriation acts, and oversight functions.

“So, I just want to let you know that the Inspector General of Police will not be appearing this afternoon (Wednesday) but we are going to write him again to appear before us on Tuesday next week. Otherwise we will be forced to invoke Section 89(c) of the constitution”, Alimikhena told journalists at the panel’s hearing on Wednesday.

The allegations made by Isah Miasau, the chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, against the IGP include fraudulent deployment of policemen in private organisations, special promotion racketeering by the IGP and the Police Service Commission, favouritism in promotion/appointment of police commissioners and corrupt postings/transfers.

– Nov 3, 2017 @ 12:33 GMT |