The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said on Wednesday the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has concluded arrangements to implicate him in the ongoing investigation and prosecution of suspected cultists in Kwara State.
Saraki said it has become necessary for him to urgently bring the alleged plot by the IGP to attention of senators, Nigerians and the international community.
The Senate President said the IGP is also plotting to frame up the state Governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed.
The announcement threw the chamber into a state of shock and disbelief as deliberations in the chamber stopped momentarily.
The lawmakers described the development as “a dangerous development” that must be halted in the interest of democracy in Nigeria.
Before the announcement, the upper chamber held over 45 minutes closed session which Saraki said was meant to deliberate on the running of the Senate and the National Assembly in general.
Saraki said: “My Distinguished colleagues, there is an issue which I need to bring to your attention very urgently.
“Last night, my state Governor, Dr. Abdulfatai Ahmed, told me that information at his disposal revealed that a group of suspects who had been in police cells for several weeks for cultism and whose investigation had been concluded with prosecution about to commence under the state law based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the Ministry of Justice were ordered to be transferred to Abuja this morning.
“According to the information available to the governor, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, directed the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State to immediately transfer the men to the Force Headquarters. The plan, as the Governor was made to understand is that, under duress, the suspects would be made to alter the statements they already made in Ilorin. They will then be made to implicate the Kwara State Government and in particular, myself, in their new statement.
“This plot is part of the strategy by the IGP to settle scores over the declaration by this honourable chamber that he is not qualified and competent to hold any public office, within and outside the country and that he is an enemy of Nigerian democracy based on his usual disrespectful conduct towards lawful authorities.
“In my own view, this plot is an act of desperation, blackmail, intimidation, abuse of office and crude tactics aimed at turning our country into a police state where top officials cannot be made to obey the law, follow due process and subject themselves to constituted authorities.
“I want to bring this dangerous development to the attention of all of you my colleagues, the entire country and the international community so that you can be aware of the level of impunity in our country and the danger it constitute to our democracy.”
Source:The Nation
