The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris who was billed to appear before the senate today, again, for the second time in a week, willfully refus
The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris who was billed to appear before the senate today, again, for the second time in a week, willfully refused to appear before the hallowed chambers but instead sent his Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Joshak Habila, to represent him. The IGP was expected to appear before the Senate on the arrest and detention of Senator Dino Melaye last week. He was also summoned to brief the lawmakers on the incessant killings being recorded in various parts of the country.
The Senate had, last Thursday, rejected taking Habila, while the IG accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari to Bauchi State during his official visit. Naturally, this made the legislators angry and they asked him to appear unfailingly on Wednesday but Idris sent Joshak Habilah, deputy inspector-general, to represent him. He gave an excuse that he was in Kaduna state on an official assignment regarding insecurity.
Ahmad Lawan, leader of the senate, and Abu Ibrahim, chairman of the senate committee on police affairs, were directed to convey the red chamber’s displeasure to Idri as he was re-summoned. In the same vein, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki says he is not surprised that Ibrahim Idris, refused to appear before the senate. Saraki said the IGP also disobeyed President Muhammadu Buhari when he was asked to relocate to Benue state over the killings but did not stay for more than 24 hours in the state.
“Again, we cannot say it is just to us because the president told us that he told him to go to Benue and the man refused to go,” Saraki said.
He added that the IGP’s failure to appear before the upper legislative chamber endangers the nation’s democracy.
“Under constitutional powers, it is required of the IG to come and give a report on the incident involving a colleague and the incessant killings happening in the country. Since beginning of the year, over 500 or 600 have been killed and we believe that the man in charge of enforcing this does not think he needs to sit down with senate to engage with us when there is something wrong somewhere. He has felt that he cannot come and wants to delegate it to a junior to come. No IG has ever refused to appear before the senate since we started practicing democracy. I don’t think that has happened before. But we must know these actions are danger to our democracy,” he said.
