Senate yesterday called on the Police leadership to as a matter of
urgency, carry out a thorough investigation into the alleged
assassination attempt on the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike
Ekweremadu, his wife and Son on Tuesday.
It also resolved to fast tract the Police Reform Bill to ensure its
quick passage for the overhauling of the entire police force.
Senator Enyinaya Abaribe in a motion yesterday faulted the preliminary
report of the police on the incident. According to him, the
preliminary investigation claimed to have been undertaken by the
police was not thorough going by its conclusion that the incident
was a mere burglary without getting the statements of Ekweremadu, his
wife and son, who were at home when the incident took place.
In his contribution, Ekweremadu who gave his colleagues an update
about the incident said that the Deputy Inspector General of Police in
charge of Operations (Habila Joshak) finally came to his house at 1.30
p.m. on Tuesday.
According to the deputy Senate President, the DIG, came in company of
the Commissioner of Police in the FCT, and said he was sent by the
Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris.
Ekweremadu said: “In the afternoon the Deputy Inspector- General of
Police, operations came to my house and said it was the IG who sent
him to come and see me. He came with the Commissioner of police in
charge of FCT. I showed them round and of course they were very
sympathetic of what happened.
“I was shocked when I woke up this morning (yesterday) and they said
that what happened in my house is a mere case of burglary. I am at a
loss because as we speak, they have not taken any statement from my
son who was hospitalised; they have not gone to the hospital to find
out what exactly happened to my son.
“They looked at the CCTV tapes operated by the DSS and a staff of my
house; apparently they were not able to figure it out. So it was easy
for them to quickly dismiss what really happened.
“Unfortunately for them, later yesterday evening, a technician came
and was able to figure out and was able to produce the CCTV footage,
including how they gained entrance into my house and how they got into
my room and the fight between them my wife and my son and all the
efforts we made to save our lives.
“I am happy that we have that in our custody which the police is not
aware of. I am sure that Nigeria will be shocked on what transpired
and all the efforts made to save our lives. Now that the police
appears to have concluded the case, unless they withdraw the statement
that it is a mere case of burglary, I may now be forced to release
those footage to the media and international community so that
Nigerians and ordinary people can judge whether it was a case of
burglary or attempt to kill me or whether they just want to come to my
house to have a breakfast or have a handshake with me.’’
