Reps ask Buhari to replace IGP with a ‘more professional officer’

The house of representatives has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP).

The lawmakers made the call during plenary on Wednesday.

They passed a vote of no confidence on the IGP, after various complaints from the lawmakers on the failings of the police chief.

They, therefore, asked Buhari to remove the IGP and replace him with “a more professional police officer”.

While raising the motion, Danburam Nuhu, from Kano state, drew the attention of the lawmakers to the “complicity” of the Nigeria police in the high rate of thuggery in Kano.

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a senator from Kano state, has been having a running battle with the state governor.

The police in the state have been fingered in the matter.

Nuhu described as “unfortunate” the rising cases of thuggery in the state, saying it is sponsored by some politicians.

“In fact, the recent thuggery experience in Kano was championed by q current high ranking member of the hallow chamber,” he said

“We must use all legislative instruments available to this house to discourage it in the strongest terms and curb thus barbaric act of terror.”

In the course of the deliberations, some of the lawmakers faulted the police for its “failure” to address the situation in Kano.

Nkem Abonta from Abia state said it is “very undemocratic” for the police who are supposed to be protecting the citizens to now be the ones going against the law.

“The third force (which former President Olusegun Obasanjo) was talking about could be the police force, going by the way they are operating,” he added.

“Before now, we had a decent society where there is respect for the constitution but now, everything has changed.”

On his part, John Dyegh, from Benue state, also faulted the police on the issue as well as their “unwillingness” to tackle similar challenges in the country.

He said following the killings in Benue state, intelligence reports had it that the alleged killers were camped in a local government area in Nasarrawa state “and a whole IGP claimed he was ignorant of such.”

“The intelligence reports from security agencies across the country were clear that these killers were still there. The IGP later went and said there was no such thing,” he added.

“It is obvious the IGP is incapable of his job. So I am amending the prayers to be that the president should replace the IGP with a more professional police officer.”

The lawmakers subsequently adopted the amendment.