There were indications on Wednesday that the National Assembly had decided to suspend the 2018 budget of the Nigeria Police Force to penalise the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, over his refusal to honour invitations by the Senate.
Findings showed that the fresh summons issued to Idris earlier on Tuesday by the Senate was the last chance he had to appear before the legislature or he would risk the suspension of the police budget. the suspension was one of the steps the National Assembly had considered to sustain its authority and get all heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to respect the “core institution of democracy.”
However, the suspension will cover only capital and overhead votes of the police, leaving out the recurrent expenditure budget.“The plan is that the office of the IGP in particular, will be completely suspended. His overhead and capital votes will be put on hold until he learns to respect the National Assembly.
“The recurrent cost will be left untouched because, as you are aware, that is where the salaries of the personnel will be drawn from to cater for their welfare,” a top member of the House Committee on Appropriations, who spoke on condition of anonymity, informed The PUNCH in Abuja on Wednesday.The IG and the Senate in particular, have had a running battle lately over the arrest of Senator Dino Melaye and the invasion of its chambers by thugs last month.
Idris has failed to honour two previous summonses to address the security issues. On Monday, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa.
The two National Assembly officials personally reported the IG to Buhari.After the meeting, an infuriated Dogara described the IG and the police as behaving like “upgraded barbarian tribesmen.”
I owe you no apologies, IG tells Senate
The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has responded to the Senate resolution on his non-appearance before the upper chamber, saying he owed them no apologies.
The IG said he did not have to appear before the lawmakers, noting that a senior police officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector-General or an Assistant Inspector-General could act on his behalf in an official capacity at any function.The police described the Senate resolution against Idris as “a deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting with mischievous motives to hand-twist the IGP to pervert the end of justice” in a felonious and serious offenses of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms for which Senator Dino Melaye was allegedly indicted by two principal suspects, Kabiru Seidu aka Osama and Nuhu Salisu aka Small.
Moshood asked the public to disregard the resolution of the Senate on Idris which he said was “mischievously aimed at casting aspersions on the hard-earned integrity of the IG and the Nigeria Police Force.”