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Senate President Bukola Saraki has urged the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to appear before the ad-hoc committee investigating allegations made against him regarding abuse of police finances and other allegations.
Saraki, who presided over Thursday plenary, insisted that no person or institution can stop the upper legislative chamber 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 he should know that there have been many judgements in this that state that they cannot stop the Senate from doing its job.
“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.
The Senate President made the remark following a Point of Order moved by chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Francis Alimikhena.
The senator who doubles as the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, had informed lawmakers that the committee had given the police boss grace to appear before the panel on Tuesday, following his absence at Wednesday’s investigative hearing.
Recall that at the committee’s hearing on Wednesday, Alimikhen had threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on the IGP if he failed to appear before it on Tuesday, 7th November, 2017.
Dissapointed by the absence of the IGP, the committee declared that the excuse given by the IGP was invalid.
The IGP had written to inform the committee through his lawyer, Alex Izinyon (SAN) that he had instituted cases in court on the matter, adding that appearing before the upper legislative chamber on the subject matter would be subjudice.
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 leveled against him(IGP) and virement was not part of what they went to court. 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 which Misau alleged too; to appear before us on Tuesday next week. We are going to write him specifically.
“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.
Among the allegations made by the Chairman Senate Committee on Navy, Isah Misau against the IGP include: fraudulent deployment of policemen to private organisations, special promotion racketeering by the IGP and the Police Service Commission, favouritism in promotion/appointment of Police Commissioners, corrupt postings/transfers.
