The House of Representatives has summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar to appear before it to explain what informed the invasion of Kano State Governor’s Lodge by officers and men of the Nigeria Police.
Last weekend, a Divisional Police Officer led his men to disrupt the caucus meeting of the new PDP being held at the Kano State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, saying he was ‘acting on orders from above’.
The House at plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, viewed this as impunity and condemned in strong terms.
Sequel to a motion by Idris Muhammed Sani-Kutigi and co-sponsored by 61 other members, the House adopted a motion summoning IGP Abubakar to appear before the House Committee on Police Affairs to explain his action.
Sani-Kutigi, had in a motion under matters of urgent national importance titled, “impunity and disregard to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) by the Nigeria Police Force”, condemned the action of the police.
According to him, the invasion violated the provisions of sections 40 and 308 (1) (a) and (3) of the constitution, noting that the meeting was convened to fashion out a lasting solution to the lingering crisis in the PDP.
Kutigi decried “continued impunity and disregard for the constituted authority by men and officers of the Nigeria police” adding that “the police have in recent times disrupted several meetings of these governors by ceiling (sic) the meeting venues”.
He also decried that “a police officer of the rank of chief superintendent of police (CSP) boldly attempted to arrest and disrupt the meeting of the G-7 governors in disregard to their constitutional immunity in section 308 of the 1999 constitution.
“If the rights and privileges of these governors and members of the National Assembly can be so threatened, then an ordinary man in Nigeria has no hope and confidence in the Nigeria Police Force”.
