Again, IGP Snubs Senate

…Senate Sirects Committee To Report Him To Buhari

The Senate, yesterday, mandated its majority Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Abu Ibrahim, to report the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to President Muhammadu Buhari, over his (Idris’) disrespect to the Chamber.

Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris

This was as the IGP, for the second day in one week, snubbed the apex Chamber by refusing to honour its invitation to come and brief it on the ordeal of Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West) in the hands of the police.

The IGP was also expected to use the opportunity to brief the lawmakers on the persistent killings across the country, particularly in the North Central states of Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau and Kogi, and other states of the northern Nigeria constituting major flash points in the sustained killings by Fulani herdsmen and other armed bandits, such as Taraba and Zamfara.

The police chief was first invited last week Thursday to give explanations on the above issues, but failed to appear before the Chamber in plenary.

Idris, who was reported to have travelled with President Muhammadu Buhari to Bauchi State, also failed to formally communicate the apex legislative chamber in writing over his inability to come. Instead, he sent the Deputy Inspector-General in charge of operations to represent him.

The Senate, which viewed the action of Idris as a serious disrespect for its members, however, re-summoned the IGP to appear before it in plenary yesterday at 11 a.m.

The lawmakers insisted that Idris must appear in person to brief the Chamber on the predicaments of their colleague as well as intimate them on the incessant killings in Benue State and other states of the federation.

However, Idris again sent the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG), in charge of Research and Planning, Mr. Vincent Chukwu, to represent him, without any official communication to the Red Chamber regarding his reasons for not appearing.

The Senate had reversed to the Committee of the Whole, where it moved a motion suspending its relevant rules to receive the IGP into the Chamber for the proposed briefing, only for the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, to announce to the Chamber that the IG did not come.

He then asked the Chairman of the Committee on Police Affairs, Abu Ibrahim, who was asked last week to reach out to Idris and ensure that he appeared yesterday to brief the Senate on the subject matter.

Responding, Ibrahim said that he tried to reach the IGP, but could not and that he was later informed that the police boss had gone to Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, where about 20 persons were reportedly killed by armed Fulani herdsmen.
Saraki then called for contributions.

But the senators, who were obviously shocked by the IGP’s disregard to the Senate, were not ready to talk as they looked dejected and disappointed, while grumbling and whispering to one another.
However, after some minutes of silence, the Deputy leader of the Senate, Senator Bala Ibn N’Allah, (APC-Kebbi South) broke the silence, when he started by commending the Senate for recognizing that there was a serious need to invite the IGP.

Na’Allah, who is a lawyer, pointed out that Section 88(1, 2a) of the Constitution and 89(c), empowered the Senate to summon anybody, recalling that the same IGP had gone to court to challenge the powers of the Senate to summon him.

He further recalled that the IGP was proved wrong and told to go and face the Senate, noting that the issues the Senate wanted to discuss with the IGP were specific to his office as the chief internal security officer of the country.

According to him, the IGP is the person that has the information the Senate is seeking on the killings across the country to help them know how to assist the President to curb the killings.

He said the Senate should send a delegation to be led by the Senate President to meet President Buhari to register the Senate’s displeasure over the continued disregards of the apex legislative Chamber by the IGP.

N’Allah lamented that from the foregoing, it was clear that there were some occupants of public offices who were not capable and who lacked the requirements to occupy such offices, noting that the Senate would not be discouraged from assisting President Buhari in his efforts to secure the country and bring peace to the nation.

In his ruling, Saraki emphasized on the need for the senators to show maturity and statesmanship in the face of provocation, saying that anybody who witnessed what had transpired, would agree that the action of the IGP was totally wrong.

He lamented that the IGP felt that he should not come, but sent his junior officer, pointing out that he could not recall that any IGP had ever refused to appear before the Senate in the past, especially at plenary, which he described as a danger to democracy.

According to him, over 500 people have been killed since the beginning of the year and an officer of government, who is saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and property of Nigerians refused to meet with the Senate to discuss the way out.

He directed Lawan, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Abu Ibrahim, to meet with the Executive over the matter and report back to the Senate within one week.

His words: “The IG has not turned up; the best he could do is to send the DIG to represent him. I want us to approach this matter because being the upper chamber at times like this; we must show maturity and statesmanship. Anybody who has been around enough to observe the practice of our democracy knows that this action cannot be right.

“We are not a Senate in committee; we are a Senate in plenary. Constitutional powers requires the IG to come and give a report on an incident involving a colleague and more importantly, on the incessant killings that happen in the country. And he felt that he would not come, but wants to delegate a junior to come to appear before us.

“So, I want to appeal to our colleagues. Let us approach this in two ways. One way, give him another period of time for him to reflect on the enormity of the action because whatever happens today, this sets precedence for the future. And as such, it is important that we do not allow issues like this.