The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, yesterday appeared before the Senate Adhoc Committee to defend himself against allegation levelled against him by Chairman of Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Isah Hamman Misau.
The IG was accompanied by his lawyer, Alex Iziyon (SAN); and Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang.
Misau had accused the IGP of corruption, nepotism, misuse of office, misappropriation of funds, illegal promotions and postings of senior officers.
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, had earlier yesterday, rejected a motion ex-parte the IGP filed to stop the Senate from probing the allegations against him.
The IGP said he appeared before the committee because of the respect he had for the Senate as an institution, saying he had nothing to hide.
He, however, engaged the Senate in verbal war regarding the legality or otherwise of the probe of corruption allegations against him.
The Senate Ad-hoc Committee investigating IGP, the Police, and Police Service Commission, PSC, is chaired by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Francis Alimikhena, APC, Edo North.
The IGP, who noted that since the case for which the investigation was ordered was already in court, it would be subjudice for him to respond to any queries from lawmakers, stressing that he decided to appear before the committee because of the need to comply with the constitutional provisions, which mandated him to honour invitations from parliament.
At this point, the committee ruled him out of order, saying the judiciary lacked the power to stop the Senate from performing its constitutional duties.
Speaking further, the IGP said: “I will not make any oral comment or answer any question in respect of the allegations in view of the various civil and criminal cases pending in the law courts, especially when the senator has already been arraigned in court in respect of this matter.”
