The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, in response to the Senate’s resolution to declare persona non grata on his person, after failing to appear before the upper chamber for the third time, has said that he owed them no apologies.
A statement on Wednesday in Abuja by the force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, said that the IG said he did not have to appear in person before the lawmakers, noting that Sections 7(1),312(1), 313(2) of the Police Act, has that as a provision.
However, the statement recalled that a senior police officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector-General or an Assistant Inspector-General was sent to the Senate to act on his behalf but was rebuffed by the lawmakers.
The statement also explained that Dino Melaye, the Senator representing Kogi West, was certified fit to stand trial by doctors at the National Hospital before he was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Courts in Wuse, Abuja and Lokoja.
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The police described the Senate resolution against Mr Idris as “a deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting with mischievous motives to hand-twist the IGP to pervert the end of justice”
The statement added, “The IG 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 Nigeria Police Force, therefore, owes no apology to any individual or groups in its effort to ensure the 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.”
Mr Moshood asked the public to disregard the resolution of the Senate on Mr Idris which he said was “mischievously aimed at casting aspersions on the hard-earned integrity of the IG and the Nigeria Police Force.”
He said, “The Nigeria Police Force as a law-abiding organization will continue to hold the Senate in high esteem but wishes to impress on the Senate not to harbour criminal elements among its fold or condone criminality.”
“The Force will not be intimidated by any individual, groups or institution, constituent or otherwise to abdicate from its constitutional responsibilities of protection of lives and property and due enforcement of the rule of law, and law and order across the country,” the police spokesman said.
