Honour our Summons, If You Have Nothing to Hide, Senate Tells IG

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

The Senate thursday challenged the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to appear before its ad-hoc committee investigating him for corruption if he has nothing to hide.

The Senate said his resort to the court to stop the probe is futile as the judiciary would not interfere with the constitutional duty of the legislature.

This is against the backdrop of the refusal of Idris to appear before the committee last Wednesday to respond to allegations of misappropriation of N7.2 billion in the 2016 budget; nepotism and sexual alliances with female officers levelled against him by Senator Isa Misau.

The IG’s counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon, had written to the committee stating that his client is already in court over the matter, and therefore to appear would be subjudice.
The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, speaking at the plenary, urged Idris to appear before the committee.

“As the chief law enforcement officer, who we expect to know what the law is, he should know that there are judgments that clearly state that such cannot stop the Senate from doing its job, and I think he is best advised to follow the law and ensure that if he has nothing to hide, he should appear like anyone else before the committee,” Saraki said.

He directed the committee to report back to plenary if Idris fails to appear next week Tuesday.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Francis Alimikhena, raising a point of order, said the committee would not be deterred in carrying out its assignment.

He said: “The Inspector General of Police failed to appear before the ad hoc committee yesterday, November 1. The committee received a letter from Alex Iziyon (SAN) and Co that they were acting on the order of the IG to write to the committee to stand down the investigation or, if possible, put it in a permanent abeyance because, according to the letter, the matter is before the FCT High Court.

“The letter from Iziyon cannot stop the committee from performing its constitutional role. The committee, therefore, resolved accordingly to once again invite the IG to appear before the committee on November 7, 2017, unfailingly.”