House of Representatives
Minority parties in the House of Representatives have condoled with the Inspector-General of Police over the alleged killing of three intelligence officers by military personnel in Taraba State.
In a statement by the Minority Leader of the house, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu in Abuja on Friday, the lawmakers condemned the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
The caucus described the deceased officers as `heroes’, who died in active duty of securing their fatherland and called for a judicial inquiry into the unfortunate incident.
The legislators also called for a reasonable and timely compensation for the families of the fallen officers.
“We grieve the gruesome murder of three men of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT); this is an International embarrassment”.
“It is a huge loss given that the three were among the best hands in war against kidnapping, insurgency, terrorism and related crimes”.
“This incident further highlights the lack of synergy, unhealthy inter-agency rivalry and sabotage, which many have complained as part of the major reasons Nigeria is far from winning the war against the escalating insecurity across the nation,” the caucus said.
The reps said that a situation where policemen on lawful duty die so horridly in the hands of sister security agency gave cause for grave concern.
According to the caucus, it portrays the nation’s security apparatchiks to the entire world as working at cross-purposes and prone to fifth columnists.
The opposition lawmakers called on the Federal Government to immediately institute a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The lawmakers warned that the incident must not be swept under the carpet or treated with any form of levity.
“We call on the Federal Government to immediately constitute a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look diligently into these deaths as well as the circumstances surrounding the supposed ‘escape’ of Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume, the suspected kidnap kingpin”.
“The investigation ordered by the National Security Council at the end of its Thursday meeting appears to us too banal and routine given the gravity of this incident and the uninspiring handling of previous inquiries into related matters”.
“Lastly, we warn that Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion and those entrusted with securing the lives and property of Nigerians must always be above suspicions of conspiracy as well as sabotage crime-solving efforts”.
“We, therefore, call for a joint manhunt by the security agencies for Alhaji Hamisu to ensure that he is produced to face the law. Such a high security risk should not be allowed to prowl the society,” the lawmakers said. (NAN)
