The Senate, yesterday passed a vote of no confidence in the Inspector- General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris for his refusal to appear before the Senate at plenary yesterday, the third time in two weeks, to speak on the spate of killings across the country and the inhuman treatment meted on Senator Dino Melaye ( APC, Kogi West). He was declared not fit to hold any office, both home and abroad.
But the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, yesterday also told the Senate that he had no apology for his failure to answer the summon from the legislature for the three consecutive times. According to the Senate, his persistent refusal to appear before the lawmakers at plenary having been invited several time, was a great danger to the nation’s democracy. This was disclosed by Senate President Bukola Saraki at the end of a closed door session that started 12.25p.m., and ended 1.15p.m., to brainstorm on the next line of action following the action of the Police boss.
At the closed door session, the Senate resolved to declare the Police boss persona -non grata by writing the international community, embassies, Nigeria’s international partners and the Interpol that he was not fit for his present position.
Saraki after the closed door session, said, “Colleagues, the Senate in a closed session deliberated on the non-appearance of the IGP to the Senate in plenary after several invitations. The Senate noted that this amounted to a great disrespect to the institution and constituted authority. The Senate also noted 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 is also mandated to look into the matter for further necessary action.”
Senators prior to the closed door session, had condemned in very strong terms, the blatant refusal of the IGP to honour the invitation of the Senate, as they all described it as danger for the nation’s democracy.
In his response, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, pin a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, yesterday, told the Senate that he had no apology for his failure to answer the summon from the legislature for three consecutive times over alleged manhandling of Senator Dino Melaye by the police. The police boss also said the resolution of the Senate during its plenary on Wednesday that he was unfit to hold public office was a blackmail just as he said the action of the Senate was not only unfortunate but also a witch-hunt as well as mischievous. ”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.” “The Nigeria Police Force, therefore, owes no apology to any individual or groups 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. “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. “The General Public are hereby implored to disregard and discountenance the resolution of the Senate on the IGP as a deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting and mischievously aimed at casting aspersions on the hard earned integrity of the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force, “the statement read.
