The Senate Wednesday resolved to fast track the
Police Reform Bill with a view to ensuring its quick passage for the total
overall of the Nigeria Police Force.
It also called on the Police High Command to
urgently carry out a thorough investigation into last Tuesday's alleged
assassination attempt on the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, his wife
and son.
Senate resolution was sequel to a motion moved by
Senator Enyinaya Abaribe on the disturbing reaction of the Nigeria Police
Authorities to the invasion of the residence of Ekweremadu by unknown gunmen.
Abaribe in the motion faulted the preliminary
report of the police on the incident.
According to him, the preliminary investigation
claimed to have been undertaken by the police was not thorough going by
its conclusion that the incident was a
mere burglary without getting the statements of Ekweremadu, his wife and son,
who were at home when the incident happened.
He said: “The police said it was a mere burglary.
We all know that these days are very ominous for politicians in Nigeria
especially for those who are political exposed as us. For the police to quickly
without even interviewing the very person for whom this incident happened to-the
deputy senate president, wife and his son-and come out and determine that it
was a burglary, actually burgles the mind.
"We know in this country that Bola Ige was
killed in his home. We know and also it is a fact that former Lagos State
gubernatorial candidate, Funsho Williams, was also killed in his home and the
investigations are still ongoing.
"For the police to quickly and willingly
dismiss this home invasion that could have led to a fatality as burglary is
hasty. Nobody knows how they have come to such situation. If we want to do an
investigation, we will do it. I know that in this country, a general that was
killed was investigated until they found his body. If we insist on doing the
right thing, we will do it.
"Our fear today is why are the police engaging
in a cover up? Why are the police continually at any time that it concerns
people that do not have presidential oversight or cover, they would quickly
come out and have a report?"
Contributing, Ekweremadu who gave an update on the
incident, said the Deputy Inspector
General of Police (DIG)in charge of Operations, Habila Joshak, finally came to
his house at 1.30 p.m. last Tuesday in
company of the FCT Commissioner of Police, saying he was sent by the Inspector
General of Police, (IG), Ibrahim Idris.
Ekweremadu said: "I showed them round, and of
course they were very sympathetic to what happened.
The deputy Senate president said he was shocked to
wake up "this morning that what happened in my house is a mere case of
burglary. I am at a loss because as we speak, they have not taken any statement
from my son who was hospitalised; they have not gone to the hospital to find
out what exactly happened to my son.
"They looked at the CCTV tapes operated by the
DSS and a staff of my house, apparently they were not able to figure it out. So
it was easy for them to quickly dismiss what really happened.
"Unfortunately for them, later yesterday evening, a technician
came and was able to figure out and produce the CCTV footage, including how
they gained entrance into my house and how they got a way into my room and the
fight between them my wife and my son and all the efforts we made to save our
lives.
"I am happy that we have that in our custody
which the police is not aware of. I am sure that Nigerians will be shocked on
what transpired and all the efforts made to save our lives.”
Contributing, Senator Shehu Sani, (PRP Kaduna Central
) said: "We could have a killer burglar, and that is what happened at the
house of Ekweremadu. For such to happen and for it to be dismissed as mere
burglary, it shows that there is an attempt to cover up."
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