Apparently peeved by the state of insecurity in the country, the House of Representatives Wednesday asked President Muhmmadu Buhari to sack Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and replace him with a more professional officer.
This came on a day the Senate threw out the report of Committee on Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence over recent killings in Benue State, and scolded the committee for writing and presenting what it described as unbalanced and incomplete report.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives, after listening to two separate motions by Mark Gbillah and Nuhu Damburam from Benue and Kano on the state of insecurity in their respective states and the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the IGP, did not hesitate to pass a vote of no confidence on the police boss.
This development was sequel to an amendment to a prayer in Nuhu Damburam of Kano’s motion under matters of public importance on the need to stop thuggery in Kano State.
John Dyegh, APC, Benue, had moved that his prayer be amended to reflect that the IGP should be replaced by a better professional police officer.
The speaker at this point, said “if we amend, it all means we have passed a vote of no confidence” and the response was a thunderous yes!
Before the amendment move by John Dyegh, most of the lawmakers who spoke on the state of thuggery in Kano had appealed for peace to reign in Kano.
Damburam, leading the debate, had argued that “thuggery in recent time in Kano has really impeded law and order in the state as police and other security operatives turn blind eyes to what is happening around them.
“This development is dangerous to democracy and it’s worrisome that a ranking lawmaker is at the top of such a situation.”
In his contribution, Kolawole Gabriel, PDP, Ondo, said “thuggery can only be curtailed if the youths are gainfully employed and unfortunately if you are not in the ruling party, you are prone to attack.”
Ali Madaki, APC Kano, in his view, pointed accusing finger at the IGP, saying”he is the cause of lawlessness across the state as he seems to be aiding them.”
The Whip of the House, Alhassan Ado Doguwa spoke against the position of his colleagues, claiming that” without any fear of contradiction, your position on this matter was mischievous, misleading and misinforming the House.”
He was greeted by a thunderous No! No! by his colleagues who equally warned that his choice of words were not honourable.
Kingsley Chinda, PDP, Rivers, citing Order 9 Rule 7 of the House, demanded that the Whip should withdraw such words “as they were unparliamentary.
But Doguwa continued, insisting that he was not going to change his choice of words.
The presiding officer, Yakubu Dogara, after listening to all the submissions, put it to a voice vote and the ayes carried the day.
Earlier, Mark Gbillah under matter of national importance entitled:’
”Motion on The Derogatory Statement by the Police PRO Against an Executive Governor of a state and the seeming unwillingness of the IGP to recognise and enforce a constitutionally enacted law by the legislative arm of Government,” had an overwhelming support.
After close to an hour debate on the issue, the House resolved that the constituted House committee on the recent killings and insecurity should further investigate the IGP’s utterances, outside apologising to Governor Ortom.
