Police: Why we are yet to prosecute anyone over mace theft

The police have dismissed insinuations that it is delaying the prosecution of  the suspected thugs that stole the senate mace.

On April 18, hoodlums invaded the senate chamber and ran away with the mace, which is the legislative symbol of authority.

Both the house of representatives and senate subsequently set up a joint ad-hoc committee to investigate the incident.

Submitting the report of the committee to the house on Tuesday, Betty Apiafi, a lawmaker from Rivers state and co-chairperson of the committee, expressed concern that no prosecution had been made more than two months after the incident.

She also told the lawmakers that Sulu-Gambari Abdul, divisional police officer at the national assembly, was redeployed after briefing the committee on the incident.

Abdul had told the committee when he appeared before it that six suspects were arrested and had been handed over to the force headquarters.

“As soon as the DPO briefed the lawmakers during the first meeting, he was transferred out of Abuja to the north-east as,” Apiafi said.

“I don’t see how we can recommend the prosecution of the policemen on duty (that fateful day) even when the DPO that was posted to the national assembly and briefed the committee was removed.

“As it is now, nobody can tell us what has happened to the six men that were arrested and vehicles seized.”

Reacting, Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, told TheCable that investigation into the incident is still on.

“Investigation is ongoing … the police is still conducting investigations,” he told TheCable on phone.

“There is a DPO at the national assembly. The DPO is an office. As we speak there is a DPO there.”

Probed further on why the DPO was redeployed, Moshood replied: “I have answered you. Thank you so much.”

The former DPO had also told the committee that security operatives and lawmakers conspired to steal the mace.

TheCable learnt he was sent to Adamawa state.