House Rescinds Motion Directing IG to Investigate Abduction of Five Engineers in Ebonyi

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives at the plenary yesterday rescinded its earlier resolution to a motion on December 15, 2021, urging the Inspector General of Police (IG), Usman Alkali Baba, to ensure a thorough investigation into the disappearance of the Five NELAN Consultant Engineers in Effium, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The House in a motion of rescission moved by its leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado-

Doguwa, directed its Committee on Police Affairs, which was earlier asked to only ensure compliance, to now take over the investigation.

The motion sponsor, Hon. Ifeanyi Chudy Momah (APGA, Anambra), had raised a point of privilege reminding his colleagues that the police affairs and national security and intelligence committees tasked with ensuring compliance to the investigation are yet to submit their report since December last year.

Momah said: “I rise to bring to the notice of the House a motion that was moved by me on December 15, 2021, where the House adopted its Committees on Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence will investigate the abduction and alleged killing of five NELAN consultants in Ebonyi State. I have been inundated with calls by my constituents who want to know the status of the investigation. The committees were given two weeks then to report back.”

Reacting, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase, who presided over the session, called on the Chairman, Police Affairs Committee, Hon. Bello Kumo, to update the House on the status of the investigation.

Responding also, Kumo said: “We have done virtually all the findings; it’s not only his motion, this committee in every sitting has one or two issues, and we are cumulatively doing them together. I want to assure everyone that very soon we will lay our report to the House.”

The deputy Speaker, however, chided him for not asking for extension of time as stipulated in the House Rules.

Later, the House Leader, Ado-Doguwa, moving for rescission, saying: “Mr. Speaker, based on my discussions with the mover of the motion, and we approached you in the chair, you have given me the mandate to move that this House do respectively allow that this motion be rescinded in respect to resolution earlier taken-to mandate the IG to carry out the investigation-to now instead refer the investigation to our Standing Committees on Police Affairs.”