How IG of Police visited Aso Rock thrice after siege against Saraki, others

Ibrahim Idris

The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris was at the presidential villa in Abuja three times on Tuesday, DAILY POST reports.

Idris was summoned by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari to meet President Muhammadu Buhari.

He also met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in what was a marathon meeting.

This was consequent upon the Police siege at the official residences of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

DAILY POST gathered that at the first meeting that held before noon, Idris was asked to explain the conduct of his men.

The IGP then requested to speak with his officers and report back to the presidency.

He returned to Aso Rock twice in the day, as the presidency scrambled defence of the siege that triggered condemnations from Nigerians, the opposition and even members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

As Idris was shuttling the Force Headquarters and the seat of power, word got out to the media that he was close to being sacked.

But the IGP, who spoke through his media adviser, Bala Ibrahim said he was never summoned by the president to the State House.

Ibrahim claimed that the head of the Nigeria Police only visited the the President and Vice President for routine discussions.

“Nobody summoned the IG. He was just there three times today to make some consultations. There are even some days that IG visits Villa more than 3 times.

“You know Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is a professor of Law, so there are certain decisions on policing that require some consultations in order to avoid violating the law,” Ibrahim told Daily Nigerian.

However, the Presidency has condemned what it described as “the orchestrated campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari” each time a Very Important Person (VIP) is invited by the law enforcement agencies.

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, stated that the law of the land is intended for all, not for the poor or those at the lowest rungs of the social ladder.

Meanwhile, an APC official told DAILY POST Tuesday night that the whole situation was embarrassing.

The chieftain, who played a key role in the party’s national convention in June, said: “Some of us are angry and embarrassed”.

“People are saying the executive is using its power to victimise the other arms – the executive and judiciary – and this is what we witnessed. You can’t be invading people’s houses in a democracy, it would attract condemnation whether you’re right or wrong.

“How could an agency write a letter asking someone to appear same day at 10am. Even people like you and I can’t be invited like that, let alone a National Assembly leader…he’s even a lawyer (Senator Ike Ekweremadu).

“Everybody has its value, we should be welcoming more members and not lose those with us. We insisted on reconciliation but some people were going to tell the president something else. Look at the mess we are in.

“Since morning, I have not picked some calls because I don’t even know what to say. There will be more defections and you can see that events are gradually unfolding in some states. Honestly, this matter has degenerated,” he lamented.

(Daily Post Nigeria)