Reps to summon Okiro - Over police detention of 30 lawmakers

Idowu Samuel, Abuja - 10.03.2008

The House of Representatives is set to tame the brutality in the Nigeria Police and has resolved to summon the Inspector General, Mr. Mike Okiro, to appear before it to receive instructions on how to stop his men from further brutalising Nigerians.

The resolve by the House is sequel to the reported detention of 30 of its members on Thursday night at the Maitama Police station, in the FCT. The lawmakers were at the station to secure the release of their colleague, Honourable Sule Kokori, who had earlier been involved in an auto accident with a policeman in mufti at Rhine Street, Maitama.

According to reports, when the accident occurred, Kokori took the injured policeman to the National Hospital, where he was arrested by a team of armed policemen. He was subsequently detained at the Maitama Police Station.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune about the incident, the House Committee Chairman on Information and National Orientation, Honourable Dino Melaye, said when the House resumes plenary this week; it would treat a motion on invitation of the Inspector General to answer questions on why police officers detained 30 Representatives at a time.

Dino said members of the House viewed the police action as an affront more so for the failure of the officers involved not to recognise the status of the lawmakers so detained, a reason he said, the House would summon the police boss to rub minds with him on how to tame the Nigerian policemen.

Dino who was among the Representatives detained by the Police recounted his ordeal, stating, “When we heard about the incident, about 30 of us went to the station to secure his release, but to our surprise the DPO ordered that we should be detained”.