After meeting Buhari, Nigeria Police chief indicates willingness to appear before Senate probe committee

After meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House on Friday, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, indicated his willingness to appear before the Senate.

Mr. Idris, however, told journalists that his meeting was to update President Muhammadu Buhari on the security situation across the country. Speaking to State House correspondents after the closed door meeting with the president, the police chief said he might appear before the Senate ad-hoc committee probing corruption allegations against him.

The committee is headed by the Senate Deputy Whip, Francis Alimikhena. The Senate had served Mr. Idris an invitation letter on October 16 to appear before the Alimikhena Committee on November 1. The police chief, however, failed to honour the invitation. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Senate committee on Wednesday ordered Mr. Idris to appear before it next Tuesday. Mr. Alimikhena told journalists in Abuja that the committee received a letter from the police chief’s lawyer, Alex Iziyon, informing the committee that “it would amount to subjudice if the Inspector General of Police appears before the Senate committee on the same issue that is before the competent court of law.”

The police chief had filed a suit in court seeking to halt the Senate probe, after a senator, Isah Misau, accused him of corruption and abuse of office. On Wednesday, the Senate committee threatened to order the arrest of Mr. Idris should he fail to appear next Tuesday; although implementing such order would be virtually impossible as it is the police headed by Mr. Idris that would be required to implement it. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Thursday criticised Mr. Idris’s refusal to appear before the committee. “As the chief law enforcing officer, we will expect that he should know what the law is and he should know that there has been many judgements on this. It is clearly stated that he cannot stop the Senate from appearing and doing its job,” Mr. Saraki said. However, after meeting with Mr. Buhari on Friday, the police chief stated that for the sake of having respect for the National Assembly, he might honour the Senate’s invitation. He said he was awaiting advice from the police’s legal team on the matter. “These are legal issues. We are discussing with our legal team, obviously if there is need we are going to appear for the sake of having respect for the Senate, I will appear before them.”