Reps summons Nigeria's Inspector General of Police over Kwankwaso

The House of Representatives has resolved to summon the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, and the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Yusuf, over the alleged constant harassment of the supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.

The House resolved to constitute an ad hoc panel to ascertain the reasons for the harassments and intimidation of supporters of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in order to avert a breakdown of law and order in the state.

The committee will report back in three weeks for further legislative action.

Adopting a motion by Rep Aliyu Sani Madaki (APC, Kano), the House said some members of the National Assembly from the state had intended to hold meetings with their constituents but were forced to cancel them by the Kano State Police Command, after having been duly informed, thereby infringing on their rights to peaceful assembly and association as enshrined in Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution.

The lawmakers recalled that on January 29, men of the Nigeria Police barred some members of the National Assembly and the Kano State House of Assembly from entering the venue of the APC Northwest zonal meeting in Katsina.

The House said the following week, members of the Kano Assembly were invited to the state police command and asked to make statements on what transpired at the meeting in Katsina.

The House said it was appalled that the meeting took place in Katsina State, which was outside the jurisdiction of the Kano State Police Command, “and at best such matter, if any, can rightly be inquired into by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the zone.”

While saying the invitation of the lawmakers did not follow due process, the House noted that “the manner in which the police commissioner descended into the arena over issues that are purely political, is such that many in Kano now regard him as the de facto factional chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”