The Police yesterday described Senate President Bukola Saraki’s refusal to honour their invitation as “disrespectful”. Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris wrote a letter of invitation to Saraki on Monday, requesting him to appear on Tuesday morning to clear himself of allegations of involvement with five principal suspects in the Offa bank robbery investigation.
The Senate President had earlier submitted a written defence to the police. Monday’s invitation was extended to him to clarify some issues. Saraki was expected to report to the head of Intelligence Response Team at Guzape in Abuja but he didn’t show up. Instead of honoring the invitation, the Senate President said his house was besieged by policemen but the police authority said it did not have a hand in it.
The Police also said it was investigating the matter adding that a statement had been collected from the Aide-de-camp (ADC) to the Senate President to ascertain what transpired. The Police also said the blockade was a calculated attempt for it to be embarrassed adding that it was done to whip up sentiment. The Police also said its investigation had nothing to do with defection of lawmakers at the National Assembly. Also yesterday, Saraki said he would not honour the police invitation because he had answered all the questions in his written response. The Senate President said his letter to the Police on the invitation written on Tuesday was duly acknowledged.
In an explanation through his Media adviser Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said all the issues and questions raised in the police invitation letter were answered. Saraki said the letter was written and dispatched to the police on Tuesday. He noted that after answering all the questions raised by the police in his letter, he did not believe that there was any further need for him to go to the police personally. The Senate President added that he believed that his letter to the police was enough hence there was no need for him to go personally to the police for the same issue.
Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood speaking on a television programme yesterday said: “On the 23rd of July, an invitation was sent to him. We were expecting him by 8am on Tuesday for further investigation into the Offa bank robbery where 33 people were killed. “The position of the law is that anybody that was alleged to have committee an offence must make himself present. “He has sent a written statement to the investigation team and it was not satisfactory. There are lots of grey areas that need to be cleared, and that is why he was invited.
“The investigators have been directed to take all actions within the ambit of the law to ensure that there is compliance with the law because the bottom line is that we have a case that can stand the test of trial against the Senate President and we don’t want people to politicize criminality. He was indicted based on the confession of five principal suspects in Offa robbery. On how the Police perceived Saraki’s refusal to honour its invitation, he said: “We are treating it as a disrespect to the law and we are going to take appropriate action to ensure that he complies with the rule of law because nobody is above the law.”
THE NATION
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