Senate to probe Kachikwu’s allegations against Baru, corruption in police

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The Senate has set up a committee to conduct a comprehensive investigation on the alleged insubordination and due process abuse made by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, against the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, particularly in the award of contracts worth over $25 billion without board approval.

Adopting a motion sponsored by Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East) and Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara State), the upper legislative chamber also directed that the investigation be extended to allegations of series of shady deals in another NNPC subsidiary, the NNPC Trading Company.

It constituted a seven-member adhoc committee led by a former Sokoto State Governor, Aliu Wammako, to carry out the investigation.

Other members are: Senators Taayo Alasoadura, Kabir Marafa, Albert Bassey, Sam Anyanwu Ahmed Ogembe, Chukwuka Utazi, Rose Okoh and
Baba Kaka Garbai.

Marafa had in an amendment to Anyanwu’s original motion, drawn the attention of the Senate to the weight of Kachikwu’s allegation which was contained in an official memo to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Marafa noted that the issues in the memo could not be glossed over by the Senate because they touched on the issue of corruption, which the Buhari administration is perceived to be fighting.

The Senate yesterday, also began the probe of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, on alleged misappropriation of funds, illegal promotion and posting of senior officers, as well as claims that he impregnated a female police officer.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, announced the constitution of an adhoc committee to investigate the claims of financial fraud made by Senator Isah Hamman Misau, directing it to submit a report soon.

The adhoc committee is headed by the Deputy Chief Whip, Francis Alimikhena, while Nelson Effiong, Binta Garba, Obinna Ogba, Faseyi Duro, Abdulaziz Nyako and Suleiman Hukunyi are to serve as members.

However, the Senate committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, is to investigate claims by the IGP that Misau deserted the police force. The committee is expected to report in two weeks.

The face-off between Misau and Idris started in August, when the lawmaker, in an interview, claimed that police officers pay bribes to get favourable postings and promotions.

Misau, while raising a point of order on the floor of the Senate yesterday, said the IGP is yet to respond to all the allegations he made against him. He said rather than address the concerns he raised, the police hierarchy is dealing with trivialities.

The senator added another new dimension to the ongoing rift, when he alleged that the IGP has hurriedly married a female police officer, after he impregnated her.

Misau said the pregnant female officer, has also been compensated by the IGP, by illegally promoting her, despite her lack of qualification.

The lawmaker said the marriage between the IGP and the female officer, contravened the code of ethics of the Force.