The President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki is set to meet President Muhammadu Buhari to relay to him an alleged plot by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to implicate him (Saraki).
The President of the Senate is to lead the leadership of the upper legislative chamber to meet with President Buhari over the alleged plot which Saraki disclosed on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday.
Saraki had raised the alarm on the floor of the Senate over a plot by the IGP to implicate him using ‘coerced’ cultists.
“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 revealed to me an information at his disposal 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 Idris 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,” the President of the Senate said.
Saraki explained that he was bringing the issue to the attention of his colleagues to let them know the gravity of the situation.
“I know the gravity of the issue that is why I am bringing it to your attention and to continue to let our colleagues and the world know presently the danger we are going with and the levels of the rascality that is going on with some of these actions.
“I have brought it to your attention and we must continue to play our own role in doing what we believe in the course of our duty.
“It is very unfortunate but that it the information I have as of now,” the President of the Senate said.
The Senate resolved that the Senate President should lead a delegation to relay the concerns raised on the floor by Saraki. The delegation would consist of the Senate President, the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan; the Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye; and the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Other members of the delegation would included Senator Danjuma Goje, Senator Sam Anyanwu, Senator Aliyu Wammako, Senator Fatima Raji Rasaki, and Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
IGP Idris to Saraki:”There is no iota of truth in your allegation”
However,the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris has rebuffed Saraki`s allegation and urged the Senate President not to interfere with Police Investigation.
In a statement signed by the Force Public Relation Officer, ACP Jimoh Moshood, the Police said, “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to Press Statement credited to the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, of “Plot Against Him by IGP”.
“The Nigeria Police Force is shocked at the unbelievable claims, unverifiable allegations and unfounded accusations being peddled against the IGP by the Senate President, accusing the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris of plot and strategies against him to settle scores.
“The Force therefore wishes to categorically state that, there is no iota of truth in the allegation and false assertion by the Senate President of plot against him by the IGP to implicate the Kwara State Government and the Senate President in any criminal matter.
“Until investigation is concluded, any person, persons or group who tries to interfere in the investigation process by action or utterances is committing an offence.
“To set the records straight, the Kwara State Police Command on the 11th of May, 2018, paraded the following suspects before the Media and the Public, namely; Abolaji Safti Ojulari of Kankatu area, Ilorin, Lanre Mohammed Soliu a.k.a Askari of Ile Nda Compound, Ilorin, Azeez Moyaki of Moyaki Compound, Gambari Area Ilorin. Others are Suleiman Babatunde of Gambari Area, Ilorin, Yusuf Habeeb of Kangile Village, Kulende, Ilorin, and Umar Yahaya of Kangile Village, Kulende, Ilorin. “The suspects admitted and confessed before the press and the public to have killed Eleven (11) innocent persons in kwara State and other States of the country.
“The victims according to the suspects were targeted and killed on the instructions of their sponsors.
“Find attached names of victims killed in cold blood (i) Bukola Ajikobi killed on 18/01/2016 at ajikobi Area in Ilorin
(ii) Azeez Lawal killed in February, 2018 at Oja oba area of Ilorin
(iii) Lateef (Surname unknown) killed February, 2018 at Ode Alfa Nda area of Ilorin
(iv) Jamiu (Surname unknown) killed in February 2018 at idi ape area, Ilorin
(v) One segun (Surname unknown) killed in September, 2017 at kankatu area of Ilorin. Others are
(vi) Wasiu (Surname unknown) killed in September 29, 2016 at Shao garage of Ilorin
(vii) Musiliu (Surname unknown) killed in February, 2018 at Shao Area Ilorin
(viii) Bayo Ajia killed in January 18, 2018 at taiwo Road, Ilorin
(ix) Another Lateef killed in January 2016 at Baboko Area of Ilorin
(x) Abbey a student of Kwara Polytechnic killed in April, 2017 at Niger Road, Ilorin
(xi) Lanre (Surname unknown) killed on 23rd August, 2015 at Isale Aluko Area of Ilorin.
“Consequent upon the public confessions of these vicious and notorious killer squad to the killings in cold blood of more than Eleven (11) innocent people in Kwara State and other States of the Federation, the statutory procedure and practice in the Force is that such a heinous crime and capital offence is transferred to the Force Headquarters for further investigation.
“This is to enable a thorough and discreet investigation into the crime.
“However, it is pertinent to state that, there is no vested interest by the Inspector General of Police in the ongoing investigation into the several murders committed by this killer gang, other than ensuring that justice prevails in the matter.
“Nobody, no matter how highly placed would be allowed to interfere or obstruct Police investigation to pervert the course of justice.
“It is also imperative to let the public know that last year, suspects arrested over the mayhem and killings of innocent people in Ile-Ife, Osun State and those arrested in Southern Kaduna crisis in Kaduna State and suspects arrested in connection with Zaki-biam killings in Benue State were all transferred to the Force Headquarters, Abuja for further investigation before they were arraigned in court of competent jurisdiction.
“Therefore, transferring this hired assassin gang masquerading as cultists in kwara State to Force Headquarters, Abuja for further investigation is in accordance with Police investigation procedures.
“It is also important to underscore that the statement credited to the Senate President can dissuade and discourage living victims/deceased families of those who must have been killed by this vicious hired assassin gang from coming forward to give evidence against them.
“The Nigeria Police Force hereby implores members of the general public to disregard and discountenance the claim of plot by the IGP against the Senate President as a ruse, unfortunate and an attempt to divert Police investigation into the killings of more than Eleven (11) innocent people from kwara State and other States of the Federation in the recent past by the killer squad who operate under the guise of a cult group.
“The Force will leave no stone unturned and will do everything within the ambit of the law to ensure justice in this matter, no matter whose ox is gored.”
PDP Expresses Concern Over Alleged Plots Against Saraki
Reacting to Saraki`s allegation,the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it was deeply concerned.
PDP in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan said this is alarming and described the situation as an assault on the National Assembly.
“The PDP, as a party, has taken judicious note of assertions by the Senate President that the said plot is allegedly being hatched by the Inspector General of Police, Mr Idris Ibrahim, “to settle scores” with the Senate over its recent declaration that he is not fit to hold public office.
“The PDP is alarmed by the trend of brazen assaults on the institutions of democracy, particularly the National Assembly and the judiciary,” the statement read in part.
According to PDP, it had earlier alerted of plots to arrest, harass, detain dissenting voices and opposition members on trumped-up charges, as well as intimidate institutions of democracy.
The party also cited the invasion of the Senate chambers by thugs, and hoodlums violent attack of a High Court in Rivers state as bids to stop the judiciary from excising their duties
Consequently, the PDP, charges the National Assembly to defend the nation’s democracy by sparing no energy in pursuing its resolution of engaging President Muhammadu Buhari on these assaults and alleged plot in order to curtail all excesses in government before the situation finally gets out of hand.
