Enugu speaker accuses police of plotting to detain him

Eugene Odo, speaker of the Enugu state house of assembly, has accused the police of plotting to detain him over a purported forgery of N12 billion.

Addressing journalists in Enugu, capital of the state, on Thursday, Odo said the impasse between the lawmakers and Sullivan Chime, governor of the state, was responsible for the frame-up, calling for the intervention of the inspector-general of police.

He said the police had refused the order of the federal high court in Enugu, which restrained them from curtailing his liberty and granted him and other lawmakers unfettered access to the assembly complex.

“This is a legislative matter and not a police affair,” he said.

“I suspect a situation where we may be detained and poisoned. This is to bring the matter to the attention of the public and ask the IGP to intervene.

“This is the first time legislative duties are carried to the police. Matters of impeachment are to make responses and not for the police to take over.

“I hope that Enugu state people will not allow this. The police should obey court orders and not to restrain us to carry out our legislative functions.

“What we are suspecting is not favourable to my personal liberty and it goes to show the level of impunity going on in this state.”

He said the state commissioner of police had earlier invited him based on a petition from Chime and that he was re-invited to report on Monday, May 18.

A federal high court sitting in Enugu had directed the police to vacate the premises of the assembly complex. The court also granted the speaker and 14 other lawmakers unfettered access to perform their legislative duties.

On May 4, the lawmakers commenced impeachment proceedings against the governor but he denied awareness of such process.