Police IG pleads with Court to stop Senate Investigation 

Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has pleaded with the Federal High Court, Abuja for an order stopping the Senate from investigating him for alleged malpractices.

In a suit filed on Thursday, the IG seeks to prevent the senate from looking into the allegations made by the senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Isah Misau, who accused the Inspector General of collecting N10bn monthly from some firms and highly-placed Nigerians for giving them security cover.

A former police officer himself now turned Senator, Isah Misau also accused Idris of granting fraudulent promotions to undeserving police operatives according to a report by the Punch.

The IG in his fundamental rights enforcement suit marked FCT/HC/CV/3158/17, asked the court to declare both the Senate committee set up to probe the allegations, and the conduct of the committee as unconstitutional, null and void.

He subsequently prayed the court for an order restraining the committee from inviting him, sitting, conducting any hearing on the allegation, discussing or making any report in respect of the planned investigation pending the determination of his suit.

Through his team of lawyers, led by Charles Ogolu, Idris contended that the Senate President, without regard to relevant constitutional requirements in respect of the role of the Senate in investigations of allegations, set up the committee in reaction to what they termed “frivolous allegations” by Misau.

A document tendered in court attests that “The applicant is a law-abiding citizen and has fundamental right to dignity of person under Section 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) (as amended), and Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.”

Part of the application further reads thus:

“The said Senator, while commenting on his motion, equally alleged that the applicant collects illegal fees by way of security protection given to corporate organisations, eminent citizens and oil companies running into billions of naira.

“The said Senator equally rained a personal attack on the person of the applicant that the applicant is having unwholesome relationship with the female officers in the force.

“Without the 1st respondent (Saraki), having regard to the relevant constitutional requirements in respect of the 2nd respondent’s role in investigations of allegations, he, in reaction to these frivolous allegations, quickly constituted a committee consisting members of the 2nd Respondent to look into the matter.”