Senate, police look to judiciary to settle dispute over summons

The Senate and the Nigeria Police are both looking towards the judiciary in efforts to assert their positions over the summons by the Senate to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris to appear before lawmakers.

Both institutions seem to be looking up to the court to ascertain whether or not Idris should appear in person before the lawmakers, or he can delegate a subordinate to represent him.

the Senate unhappy with the Idris for turning then down three times when he was summoned, declared him unfit to hold public office in Nigeria.

The IGP on his part, stated that he had no apologies for his action and insisted that sending a senior police officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) or an Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) to represent him is in consonance with Sections 7(1), 312(1), 313(2) of the Police Act.

According to Jimoh Moshood, the Police public relations Officer, “The IG and the Nigeria Police Force will not be deterred by blackmail from any individual or group no matter how highly placed from the enforcement of Law and Order and ensuring that the Rule of Law prevails”.

But responding further, the Senate in a statement by its spokesperson, Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, called on Idris to stop holding on to the straw on why he refused to comply with the invitation of the Senate for him to come and explain what the Police are doing on the spate of killings across the country.
The Senate said the crux of the matter that informed the invitation is the ceaseless spate of killings across the country and that matters concerning the arrest of Senator Melaye has in fact been overtaken by events.

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Abdullahi stated that “In one instance in the past, Mr. Idris had gone to court in order to evade honouring the invitation of the Senate and the court headed by Justice Abba Bello Mohammed of the FCT High Court on April 10, 2018, told him in clear terms that his suit lacked merit as Sections 88 and 89 of the constitution empower the lawmakers to carry out investigations on issues of public interest.

“Any public officer who plans to place himself above an arm of government obviously is not fit to remain in office. Mr. Idris is only afraid of his shadows by alleging witch-hunt when he is called to account on the performance of the duties of his organization”, Abdullahi stated.

The Nigerian Police has however vowed to drag the Senate to court over its declaration on the IGP.

Speaking on a Channels Television programme on Thursday morning, Commissioner of Police, Legal, Mr David Igbodo, stated that the Senate had made the matter a personal issue, because their colleague was involved.

Igbodo,who hinted that the police was going to challenge the position of the Senate in court, said, “That declaration, we are going to challenge it. We want the court to interpret whether each time the IGP is invited to appear before the National Assembly (NASS), whether he must, as a matter of fact, appear in person.

“Official functions of the IGP can be performed by the DIG or the Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs). So why are they insisting that it must be the IGP to appear in person? What is personal about it? The facts are known to the DIG (Operations). The facts are known to all the DIGs. They are expected to brief the NASS, why are they making it personal?”

Speaking further, Igbodo said that the senators are now personalizing the issue, questioning why the IGP cannot assign another senior officer to represent him.

 

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