The police have asked Senate President Bukola Saraki to turn himself in for questioning or face the consequence.
Mr Saraki on Tuesday failed to honour an invitation to appear before homicide detectives in Abuja at 8:00 a.m.
The police said the Senate President was implicated by suspects arrested in connection to the deadly armed robbery attack in Offa April 5.
The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, wrote to Mr Saraki on Monday night, asking him to report for questioning and to offer further clarification about a previous statement he had submitted to the police about the allegations of his complicity in the robbery.
He appeared to have sidestepped the police this morning, proceeding instead to the Senate where he announced the defection of 15 members from the ruling All Progressives Congress. He also spoke of a police siege to prevent him from leaving his house on Tuesday.
Mr Saraki said last night in his initial response to the police invitation that he received it at 8:00 p.m. and it was deliberately sent late in order to foil the planned defection by aggrieved APC lawmakers.
A Tuesday afternoon statement by police spokesperson Jimoh Moshood said Mr Saraki was yet to appear as summoned, and the police would not hesitate to activate relevant legal instruments to compel the lawmaker to honour the invitation.
The statement by Mr Moshood, an acting deputy police commissioner, can be read in full bellow:
PRESS RELEASE
RE: INVITATION TO SEN. BUKOLA SARAKI, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE CASE OF OFFA BANK ROBBERY AND GRUESOME MURDER OF MORE THAN 31 PERSONS AND SNATCHING OF 21 AK47 RIFLES ON THE 5TH OF APRIL, 2018.
· 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 Force did not besiege the Senate President residence as alleged
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.
2. 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.
3. 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 police personnel seen in pictures in the media were those in the convoy of the Senate President and others attached to him.
4. 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.
5. The Nigeria Police will ensure that the rule of law prevails in this matter
Ag. DCP JIMOH MOSHOOD
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA
