National Security: Senate Asks IGP To Appear Before It On Tuesday

The Senate has asked the acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, to appear before it on Tuesday, May 7, 2019.

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, announced this during plenary on Tuesday.

Senator Saraki made the announcement after Senator Ubali Shitu (Jigawa North-East) moved for the approval of votes and proceedings.

The lawmakers had resolved to invite the police boss to brief the Senate on the measures put in place to address the current security situation in the country.

They made the resolution on Thursday last week when they condemned the attack on Kajuru Castle Resort in Kaduna State, where gunmen killed a Nigerian and a British national.

The assailants had also abducted three other persons in the process.

Senator Shehu Sani, who raised a motion on the attack last week, also called the attention of the lawmakers to the abduction of Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Muhammed Mahmood, during Tuesday’s plenary.

According to him, suspected bandits blocked the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway on Monday and kidnapped the UBEC boss and several others.

“He (Mahmood) was kidnapped with his daughter and his brother was killed immediately,” Senator Sani told his colleagues.

He added, “Kidnapping along Abuja-Kaduna expressway is something we talk about every day, yet the road is still as dangerous as it has always been. That route has become one of the most dangerous and tragic routes in Nigeria.”

In his remarks, the Senate President commended Senator Sani for his observations on the unfortunate situation regarding the abduction.

He noted that the Senate had agreed that the police boss would appear before it and they would put heads together to discuss the series of kidnappings in the country.

Senator Saraki said, “I also think there will be an appropriate time to take up some of these issues that you have raised. I think that will probably be the best way forward on this.”

“Hopefully when he comes here, we will have a more holistic approach to finding a solution to this unfortunate and rampant incident of kidnapping, particularly on this Kaduna-Abuja Road,” he added.

The Senate President appealed to the security agencies to ensure that the UBEC Chairman and others kidnapped regain freedom.