Summon: IGP Dares Senate …Threatens Court Action Against Chamber …Idris Holding On To Straw -Senate …Issues Fresh Summons To Police Boss

The Police High Command yesterday vowed to challenge in Court the verdict of the Senate on the Inspector General of Police (IP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, that he was unfit to hold any public office and that he was an enemy of democracy.
The Commissioner of Police (Legal), Force Headquarters, Mr David Igbodo, who disclosed this yesterday while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily described the verdict of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly as unacceptable which would not stand the test of the time.
According to him, “that declaration, we are going to challenge it (in court, 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 or not.”
He disclosed that the National Assembly has not been on the same page since the arrest of Senator Dino Melaye over offences bordering on alleged murder and unlawful possession of firearms among several others now before Court of competent jurisdiction.
The Senate had first summoned the Police boss on April 25, but he failed to appear, rather sent a DIG to represent him saying that he was on an official assignment to Bauchi State with President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was again summoned for the second time to appear on May 2, but he again failed to honour it, delegating Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), Joshak Habila, whom the Senate refused to entertain.
Speaking of the inability of the IGP to personally honour the invitations, the CP legal explained that the IGP acted in accordance with the law by delegating the DIG to represent him in an official capacity.
According to him, “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?”
He accused the Senators of making the issue personal, wondering why the police chief cannot assign another senior officer on official assignments.
The police had earlier absolved the IGP of blames, dismissing the position of the lawmakers that the boss was an enemy of democracy.
Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, had in a statement on Wednesday said the police was rather the first defender of democracy in Nigeria.
According to the FPRO, “It is important to correct the impression created in the minds of the people from the Senate’s resolution that the IGP is not and will not be an enemy to democracy.”
He pointed out that the Senate’s declaration of the Police boss as an enemy of democracy was a deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting, and mischief aimed at casting aspersions on the personality of the IIP.
Meanwhile, the Senate, yesterday, said that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris was holding on to a straw with regards to his refusal to honour the invitation of the upper legislative chamber.
The Senate said that the excuse given by the IGP, in a statement, was just like holding on to a straw.
The Senate consequently issued a fresh summons to the Idris, to appear before it.
This time, the IG is expected to explain what the police are doing over the spate of killings in different parts of the country.
The Senate made this known in a statement signed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, which was shared via their official Twitter handle, yesterday.
Part of the statement reads, “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 Dino Melaye has in fact been overtaken by events.
“We noted the response issued by one Jimoh Moshood on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris following yesterday’s resolution of the legislative chamber on the continued refusal of the IGP to honour the invitation for him to come and explain what the police are doing to halt the spate of killings across the country.
“Let it be known that the IGP by trying to reduce the reason for his invitation by the Senate to the arrest of Sen. Dino Melaye is simply holding on to straw. The issue of Sen. Melaye’s arrest has been overtaken by events.
“The courts are already handling the related cases. Our main concern is the security crisis across the country where people are being killed in scores on daily basis. The primary responsibility of the Police is maintenance of law and order as well as protection of lives and property.
“If there is a breach along the line of this responsibility, we do not see why the IGP should feel he cannot be invited to offer explanation to the arm of government which is constitutionally empowered to ask questions and investigate the breach.”
He stressed that no responsible body of representatives of the people will ignore sad reports given by members on the floor of the Senate.
The statement stressed that there was no way the senate could ignore the April 24 killing of two Catholic priests and 17 members of their congregation which was reported on the floor of the Senate by Sen. George Akume.
Also, Senators Kabir Marafa and Tijani Kaura had earlier intimated the Senate of the killing of 35 people in Maradun LGA, over 100 people killed in Anka and 36 people killed in Birani Village in Zurmi LGA, all in Zamfara State. Even as at now, reports reaching us showed that recent killings have occurred in Kaduna, Taraba and Benue states.
“These were just few instances of daily occurrences of gruesome murder of our constituents as raised by Senators”.