Kwara Reps Lambast IGP Idris For Linking Saraki, Ahmed With Murder Suspects

Members of the Kwara State caucus in the House of Representatives have lambasted the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, over the revelation made by the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, at the Senate Plenary.

Saraki had, on Wednesday, raised alarm of the alleged plot by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to implicate him.

https://news.band/index.php/special-reports/breaking-igp-idris-planning-implicate-saraki/

Saraki made this known after the closed session which lasted for 40 minutes.

He added that the IGP is trying to implicate because of the resolution made by the Senate that he is unfit to hold public office.

He said that the Kwara state Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed revealed to him that information at his disposal that a group of suspects had been in police cells for several weeks for cultism.

The suspects, whose investigation had been concluded with prosecution about to commence under the state law, were ordered to be transferred to Abuja.

ElombahNews yesterday reported that the suspected paraded by the Kwara State Police Command in Ilorin last week had actually named Saraki, Kwara State governor, Abdulfattah Ahmed, and few others as sponsors of their criminal activities.

https://news.band/index.php/news/breaking-suspects-name-saraki-gov-ahmed-murder-cases/

Reacting to the developments, the Kwara lawmakers, in a press release titled “Ilorin Arrests: Why are the police misleading the people and playing politics?” berated IGP Idris.

The lawmakers viewed with skepticism IGP’s response where he tried to present it as a normal routine for police to move suspects arrested from a State Command to the Police Headquarters in Abuja.

They also doubted the sincerity of the comment that the “statement by the Senate President could obstruct investigation”.

The Members expressed worry that “the IGP is standing facts on the head” and invited everyone to “independently verify them”.

They, therefore, warned the Inspector General of Police to “stop playing politics with law enforcement work”, rather, that he should work with all stakeholders to succeed.

The statement signed by Hon. Razak Atunwa, on behalf of the Kwara State Caucus in the House of Representatives, reads in full:

We, Honourable members of the Kwara State Caucus in the House of Representatives are gravely concerned about the revelation made by the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON, at the Senate Plenary yesterday in which he disclosed the plot by the Inspector General of Police to falsely implicate him.

We have also reviewed the response from the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, where he tried to present it as a normal routine for police to move suspects arrested from a State Command to the Police Headquarters in Abuja and further said the statement by the Senate President could obstruct investigation.

As key stakeholders in Kwara State who are also familiar with the developments in our constituencies, it is necessary for us to let Nigerians know our view on the matter.

It seems to us that the IGP is standing facts on the head. We hereby state the facts of the matter and we invite everyone to independently verify them.

We are aware that the suspects listed by the IGP, all of whom are now in Abuja, were arrested on 5 May 2018 for the offences of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

After the completion of investigations, the police addressed a press conference on 10 May 2018. During the press conference, the police emphasized the fact that it was ready to arraign the suspects in court.

The suspects were formally arraigned on 15 May 2018. Due to the absence of the prosecutor, the court directed the Police to bring them back to court the following day.

On 16 May 2018, rather than bring the suspects to court, the police decided to take them to Abuja without any reference to the court.

What is logically deductible from the narrative above is that there is no on-going investigation by the police on the case involving the suspects.

Therefore, the claim by the IGP that the statement by the Senate President could jeopardize investigation is totally false.

The critical question to be asked are:

Why would the IGP suddenly order suspects who were set to be arraigned in court to be taken to Abuja without deference to the court that is seized of the case?

Does that not portend an ulterior and sinister motive?

It is most curious that the IGP would be so suddenly interested in an investigation that he was prepared to truncate on-going criminal proceedings.

We believe the facts of this case as stated above show that the Senate President was right to be concerned about the sudden turn of events, given the information he received from the State Governor who is the State chief security officer.

Let us also put it on record that Kwara State under Dr. Saraki’s tenure as Governor enacted a strong anti-cultism law under which so many accused persons had been jailed by past and present governments in the State.

We agree that the IGP is free to conduct investigations and diligently pursue the prosecution of offenders. We believe those who have committed crimes must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

However, the Police should not engage in improper conduct with the aim of falsely incriminating innocent people.

We are not unmindful of the recent rift between the Senate and the IGP.

Any attempt by the Police to falsely incriminate the Senate President in order to settle scores will be reprehensible conduct which would be resisted by all legal and lawful means.

The Inspector General of Police should stop playing politics with law enforcement work.

He needs to work with all stakeholders to succeed and therefore should stop encouraging the “We” versus “Them” campaign now going on across the country about police duties and activities.