You must honour our invitation, police tell Saraki

The police say Senate President Bukola Saraki must honour their invitation or they “will not hesitate to use all the instruments of the law to ensure” to ensure his compliance.

Jimoh Moshood, force public relations officer, said this in a statement on Tuesday.

Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), had asked the senate president to appear at the office of the intelligence response team (IRT) in Abuja by 8am on Tuesday.

The nation’s number three citizen was summoned over the robbery in Offa, Kwara state.

The suspects arrested in connection with the incident were said to have alleged that he bought weapons for them, an allegation Saraki denied.

“The senate president must honour police invitation; otherwise the force will not hesitate to use all the instruments of the Law to ensure compliance with the law,” the statement read.

“The Nigeria Police Force on the 23rd of July, 2018 invited Sen. Bukola Saraki, President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria, to report to the head of investigation team at the Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape junction, Asokoro Extension, Abuja today, 24th of July, 2018 at 8am for further investigation on his indictment from confessional statements from some of the five (5) gang leaders arrested for their active participation in the Offa bank robbery and gruesome murder of more than 31 persons and snatching of 21 AK47 rifles on the 5th of April, 2018 but the Senate President,Sen. Bukola Saraki, President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria refused to honour Police invitation as at the time of this press release.

“The Force therefore, insists that the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki, President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria is being expected to report to the head of investigation team at the Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape junction, Asokoro Extension, Abuja and should honour the invitation, otherwise the Force will not hesitate to use all the instruments of the Law to ensure compliance with the law.”

The police also denied laying a siege to the residence of Saraki on Tuesday morning.

“The Nigeria Police Force’s attention was also drawn to the innuendos in the early hours of today that some Police men were seen surrounding the residence of the Senate President; the Force wishes to categorically state that there was no authorised deployment of Police personnel to besiege the residence of the Senate President or his deputy as reported in the media,” the statement read.

“The police personnel seen in pictures in the media were those in the convoy of the Senate President and others attached to him.
“However, the Inspector General of Police has directed a thorough investigation to ascertain the facts in the episode. The Force will not allow the end of justice to be perverted by this distraction.

“The Nigeria Police will ensure that the rule of law prevails in this matter.”