Senate to probe murder of seven police officers in Abuja

The Senate has begun investigation into the murder of seven police officers in Galadimawa area of Abuja on Monday by unknown gunmen.

To that effect, it has invited the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to brief its Committee on Police Affairs on the circumstances that led to their murder.

The IGP is also expected to explain how two police officers were gunned down in Abaji Area Council of Abuja during the week.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, who directed the committee to investigate the killing yesterday, said the upper legislative chamber needed to be properly briefed on what led to the gruesome murder of the seven officers.

Besides, the Senate has ordered its committees on Health, Youth/Sports Development and Police Affairs to investigate the alleged murder of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Linda Angela Igwetu, who was allegedly shot at a police checkpoint near Cedi Plaza by an officer identified as Benjamin Peters.

Igwetu was billed to pass out yesterday having completed her compulsory one-year service. She was said to have gone out with her friends as part of celebrations for the completion of her service year.

The committees are expected to report back within two weeks.

The upper legislative chamber has, therefore, ordered the police and other security agencies to reduce or dismantle roadblocks along major federal highways in the South-East.

In another development, the upper legislative chamber has resolved to probe the allegation of sexual abuse and violence against Internally-Displaced Persons (IDP) at camps in the North-East and across the country.

Saraki, in a statement through his Special Assistant on New Media, Olu Onemola, said this while receiving the Amnesty International (AI) 2017/18 report on ‘the state of the world’s human rights’ and the organisation’s report on women who survived Boko Haram but were later maltreated, from its Country Director, Mrs. Osai Ojigho, in Abuja.

Saraki averred that the country, being an important part of the comity of nations, must continue to lead by example by doing the right things.

But Ojigho, in her remarks, said the visit was meant to commend the Senate for setting up a panel to investigate the allegations contained in the report.

In a related vein, the House of Representatives yesterday set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the recent protest by some policemen at Maiduguri, Bornu State and report back to the House within four weeks for further legislative action.

This resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance moved by Kingsley Chinda on the urgent need to investigate circumstances surrounding the protest.

Chinda stated that there is need to deploy additional personnel to beef up security in the area, particularly in Borno and other North-Central states.