Gabriel Ogunjobi –
The Nigerian Police Force has now confronted the Nigerian Senate over the summoning its Inspector General of Police for questioning.
In a press statement made available this available to CSNewspaper, the Police refuted the claim credited to Senator Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs that the Nigerian Senate has a straw it’s holding on to.
The Nigerian Police also criticized the Senate for disallowing the Force from explaining its past efforts in securing the lives and properties of Nigerians by sending back Police delegates despite the attempt to yield to the lawmakers’ invitation.
It says: “The incidents of killings in some part of the country are being addressed by the Nigeria Police Force and other security and safety agencies in the Nation.
While normalcy have been restored in most of the affected areas, hundreds of suspects directly responsible for these dastardly acts have been arrested and are being prosecuted in the affected States.
Over Five Thousand (5000) prohibited firearms have been recovered from wrong hands across the Federation on the directives of the IGP in the mop-up operations currently ongoing throughout the country.
These are part of the brief the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Department of Operations was delegated by the IGP to deliver on his behalf to the Senate, but he was not allowed.
It is imperative to inform the general public that the invitations to the IGP from the Senate signed by Nelson Ayewoh, Clerk, Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria dated 25/4/2018 & that of 8/5/2018.
The release of the purported list of killings in Nigeria in 2018 by the Office of the Senate President is shocking, unfortunate and capable of worsening the security situation in the Country. It is mischievous and heinous to play politics with people’s lives; even if it is a soul”.
The NPF further established that the report made by the Senate is a mere speculation and not factual.
It states that the office of the Senate President did not receive or process security report from State commands.
“The recent claim by the Senate that the reason for inviting the IGP is to brief them on the recent killings in some part of the Country is an afterthought”, the statement partly noted.
Also, the Nigerian Police Force also faulted the invitation of IGP before Senate on the ground on national security.
The Senate planned to air the summon of IGP on national television for Nigerians to watch the live session.
The Police stressed that the action is contrary to the national security and even global security practice.
“If the Senate is sincerely interested in knowing the strategies adopted by the Police in tackling the killings in the affected States, they would not have invited the IGP to speak on the strategies of the Force on National Television.
The Senate’s action to cover the appearance of the IGP on National Television is against National Security, unconventional and it negates global security practice.
There is nowhere in the world where security matters are discussed on National Television, even the Senate deliberation and Decision on the appearance of the IGP were done in close session.
One wonders why security strategies of the Force to tackle the killings in the affected States would be discussed on National Television”, Police pointed out.
NPF still claimed to have high esteem and regards, but will not be cowed from ensuring the supremacy of the laws of the land, preservation of law & order and above all the full enforcement of the rule of law throughout the Country.
The statement added that:The Force will also continue to resist any intimidation from any quarter either constituent or otherwise which run contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and other extant laws.
By insisting that the Senate abides by the constitutions and provisions in the Police act and regulations, the IGP is not holding on to any straw as asserted by the Senate Spokesperson but to the rule of law to ensure that there is no sacred cow”.
On the inhuman treatment meted on Senator Dino Melaye, the Police Force emphasized that the invitation of IGP was basically to drag issues with the Police boss over the arrest of their colleague lawmaker and the security issue of the country is not the paramount reason of summon.
“The pinch emphasis on security matters in the invitation letters was diversionary to attract undeserved public sympathy in the Senate’s desperate bid to trivialize and water down the crime and criminal liabilities for which Senator Dino Melaye is standing trial”, it ended.
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