Senate Declares IGP Enemy Of Democracy

The Senate yesterday declared the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Kpotum-Idris, unfit to hold any public office in Nigeria and abroad, saying he is an enemy of democracy.

 The Red Chamber made the declaration when it became glaring at plenary that the IGP, for the third time, failed to appear before it in person to give explanations on the security situation in the country as well as the alleged inhuman treatment meted on Senator Dino Melaye. But in a swift reaction, IGP Idris described Senate declaration as a deliberate blackmail and witch-hunting, with mischievous motives to hand-twist him to pervert the end of justice in a felonious and serious offenses of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms for which Senator Melaye is prosecuted. 

Senate President Bukola Saraki announced the Senate declaration at plenary yesterday after the Senators passed the resolution. The IGP was, after two previous attempts, summoned to appear before the Red chamber to brief the lawmakers on the spate of killings that have remained unabated, as well as the alleged inhuman treatment meted on Senator Dino Melaye. But the IGP instead detailed a Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations), Habila Jozak, to represent him.

 Miffed by the IGP’s failure to show up, the Senators said the Police boss disrespected the institution of National Assembly for not appearing in person to interface with the lawmakers. Yesterday the IGP who again failed to appear before Senate did not detail any representative as he did in the previous summons. During plenary yesterday, Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan called for serious action against the IGP who, according to him, should no longer continue to occupy the position.

 Lawan said, “For the past two days we have tried to reach the Inspector General of Police to inform him that he should be here today in keeping with our resolution. We have done that with chairman of Police. “Personally, I made attempts to call his line and I sent text messages that he should call me as soon as he was able to see my message. Clearly, the IG is not here. I think this is very unusual and very unfortunate. “I personally feel that public officers should do what is in the interest of the public and where any public officer cannot do what is in the interest of the public, then there is no need for such an officer to continue to occupy that kind of office.

This institution is now at a crossroad on this. I believe that a decision has to be taken on way forward”. Senators took turns to express their grievances over the refusal of the IGP to honour Senate invitation and subsequently declared that such an action was dishonourable of a chief law enforcement agent. The deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha, who described the conduct of the IGP as sad, further insisted that the non-appearance was a show of incompetence and lack of capacity to discharge duties.

 Describing it as embarrassment to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Isa Misau (Bauchi Central), wondered why and how the IGP was appointed, just as he noted that the top security officer should be sacked immediately. On his part, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), who urged Senate to apply stiff penalties against the IGP, further suggested that the lawmakers go into a closed-door session in other to determine the matter.After the executive session, which lasted for about an hour, the Senate resumed plenary, with Senate President Saraki announcing the resolution of the Senators.

 Saraki said, “Distinguished colleagues, the Senate in a closed session deliberated on the non-appearance of the IGP to the Senate in plenary after a series of invitations. The Senate noted that this amounted to a great disrespect to the institution and constituted authority. “The Senate also notes that his earlier refusal to appear before its investigative committee was overruled by a court of competent jurisdiction just in April of this year. The Senate therefore views his persistent refusal as a great danger to our democracy.

“Therefore, the Senate resolved to declare the IGP as an enemy of our democracy and not fit to hold any public office within and outside Nigeria. The leadership of the Senate was also mandated to look into the matter for further necessary action”. 

It’s An Attempt To Blackmail Me- Police Boss

But IGP Idris said yesterday that the action of the Senate was a deliberate attempt to blackmail and witch-hunt him, with mischievous motives to hand-twist him to pervert the end of justice in serious offenses of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms for which Senator Melaye is being tried. A statement by Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, noted that it was important to correct the impression created in the minds of Nigerian by the Senate. 

According to Moshood, the IGP is not and will not be an enemy of democracy because he has served meritoriously for above ten years in the United Nations peacekeeping operations in several countries unblemished. The Force PRO said, “It is urgently imperative that the Nigeria Police Force respond to this resolution of the Senate which is a deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting, unfortunate and mischievous.” “In accordance with the extant laws in Nigeria, the functions, duties and responsibilities of the Inspector General of Police as stated in Section 215(1a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, and the Police Act and Regulations Section 309(1) can also be carried out as mentioned in sections 7(1),312(1), 313(2) of the Police Act and Regulations by a senior officer of the Force of the Rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police or an Assistant Inspector General of Police who if permitted by the Inspector General of Police to act on his behalf or represent him in an official capacity at any official function, event or programme within and outside Nigeria can do so in consonance with the provisions of the Police Act and Regulations.

 “It is on the basis of the above that when on the 25th of April, 2018, the Senate invited the Inspector-General of Police to appear before it on the 26th of April 2018, in respect of the felonious offenses for which Sen. Dino Melaye was taken into Police custody, investigated and arraigned in a Court of Competent Jurisdiction in Lokoja, the Inspector-General of Police who was on official assignment with the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria to Bauchi on same date, delegated the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Department of Operations, Assistant Inspectors Gneral of Police and some Commissioners of Police conversant with the matter to brief the Senate. 

“The delegated Officers went with a brief of the Inspector-General of Police on the matter to the Senate to enable the Senate appreciate the issues raised to guide their resolutions on the matter but the Senate refused to listen to the Officers delegated by the Inspector-General of Police in line with his powers recognized by both the Constitution and the Police Act and Regulations. Explaining why the IGP was also not present in person during the second and third time he was to show up at the Senate, Moshood said, “It is pertinent that the Nigeria Police Force informs the members of the General Public that the reasons for which the Senate has summoned the Inspector General of Police is official and not personal and the 1999 constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and the Police Act and Regulations allow the IGP to delegate Deputy Inspector General of Police or Assistant Inspector General of Police to represent him. 

“It is factual and verifiable that Senator Dino Melaye was discharged and certified fit to stand trial by the National Hospital Abuja before he was arraigned in Chief Magistrate Courts in Abuja and Lokoja. “The Inspector General of Police 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, no matter whose Ox is gored. “The Nigeria Police Force, therefore, owes no apology to any individual or group in its effort to ensure preservation of law and order, supremacy of the law of the land and make sure that all Nigerians are subject to the same law, no matter what their position is in the society.” 

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