The Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police Force (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, on Wednesday refused to address the Senate panel convened to investigate a series of allegations leveled against him by Senator Isa Misau.
Mr. Idris’ lawyer, Alex Iziyon, spoke for him throughout the hearing.
The IGP had earlier refused to appear before the committee but announced on November 3 that he would appear before it on November 8.
While he made good on his promise to appear before the Senator Francis Alimikhena-led committee, Mr. Idris did not speak throughout the hearing, going as far as refusing to introduce himself to the panel.
Addressing the committee on behalf of the IGP, Mr. Iziyon said, “’We have a very high respect for this committee; we do not have anything to hide, we have the papers filed by the petitioners and we have responded paragraph by paragraph. I have submitted 15 copies containing the response to the allegations to the Senate ad-hoc committee.”
Senator Obinna Ogba, who represents Ebonyi Central, asked for more time to study the documents submitted by the counsel to the IGP, and set aside another day for further deliberations.
The Chairman of the ad-hoc committee adjourned the meeting sine die to allow committee members review the document sent in by Mr. Idris.
The Senate ad-hoc committee is investigating allegations against the police boss and the Police Service Commission (PSC).
In August, Senator Misau leveled a series of corruption allegations against the Nigeria Police Force, alleging that the IGP steals about N10 billion monthly as internally generated revenue from policemen attached to private citizens and oil companies.
Mr. Misau, while appearing before the Senate Committee on Ethics on October 25, made fresh allegations against Mr. Idris, one of which also indicted the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs. Aisha Buhari.
In the fresh allegation, the lawmaker accused the police boss of favoritism in the promotion and appointment of Commissioners of Police and also alleged that he purchased two sports utility vehicles (SUVs) for Mrs. Buhari for personal use.
Responding to the allegation, the first lady denied the claims in a tweet in which she said, “I am still using my personal cars.”
Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood also denied the allegations against his boss, saying that Mr. Misau had no reasonable evidence to back his claims.
“There is no tangible evidence in what he (Misau) has said to show that monies are being remitted to the police by oil companies, by private citizens, and by others, because the Nigeria Police is not an agency of government that generates revenue.
“The issue of internally generated revenue being diverted in the police is null and void, it’s zero. So we don’t want him to use whatever he’s occupying now to cast aspersion on the integrity of the Nigeria Police Force,” Mr. Moshood said.
saharareporters.com