The Senate has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, if he fails to appear before it on Tuesday, 7th November, 2017.
The threat was issued on Wednesday by the adhoc committee investigating allegations made against the IGP regarding abuse of police finances and other allegations.
Dissapointed by the absence of the IGP, the committee presided over by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Francis Alimikhena, 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 a case in court on the matter, adding that appearing before the upper legislative chamber on the subject matter would be subjudice.
In that letter, the IGP explained that the reasons why the Committee should not proceed with the investigation are that there are two criminal charges pending before both the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on the case.
But in a swift reaction, the committee chairman said the issues for which the police boss was invited preceded the court cases.
He threatened that the committee will be forced to issue arrest warrant against the IGP if he fails to appear before it next week.
“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 meeting on Wednesday.
Among the allegations made by 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.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
