It may delay passage – Goje
By Joshua Egbodo
Abuja
House of Representatives has summoned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, over the recent invasion of the house of the chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje.
Ibrahim, who is expected to face an ad hoc panel of the House to explain what warranted the raid, and laws backing the action by his men, has, however, been given today’s ultimatum to return all documents relating to the 2017 Appropriation Bill, allegedly carted away from Goje’s residence, “so that the passage of the 2017
Appropriation Bill is not jeopardised.”
The House, also in a resolution on the matter, condemned the action, which it described as being done “in total disregard of his (Goje’s) constitutionally guaranteed right” to privacy.
Security personnel, who were later reported to be men of the Nigeria Police, raided the Abuja residence of the senator on April 20, 2017, where they carted away cash and documents, including reports of the 2017 Appropriation Bill.
Aside the documents, the police team also recovered N18 million, $19,000, and 4,000 Saudi Riyals from Goje’s Asokoro home.
In a motion on the matter yesterday, Hon. Yunusa Ahmad, who said there was the need to check the excesses of security agencies, especially on the new penchant for invasion of residences, lamented that the 2017 budget process might be threatened, as the report carted away was initially scheduled to be laid before both chambers of the National Assembly during the week.
The lawmaker expressed concern that “the way and manner security agents, in the course of their duties, invade the privacy of Nigerians citizens with impunity and without regard to law and due process, thus portraying the federal government as lawless to discerning observers and commentators, both at home and abroad.”
His motion was supported by several members, who in their submissions warned that the excesses of law enforcement agents, if not urgently checked would plunge Nigeria into tyranny as citizens might be forced to defend themselves.
The only member who spoke against the motion, Musa Soba, however, cautioned that the House may be sounding judgmental to pass the motion.
“We cannot be seen to be enforcing the fundamental rights of any citizen,” he said, adding that the parliament only makes laws.
The motion was, however, unanimously passed through voice votes when Speaker Yakubu Dogara put a question for that.
Meanwhille, Senator Goje informed the Senate plenary of the raid on his house, waring that carting away of the 2017 budget documents may deay passage of the appropriation bill into law,
He said Nigerians to blame the police if the 2017 budget is not passed on time.
Goje claimed that work on the 2017 budget was truncated during the police invasion.
He said the officers spent four hours in house, and that his family members were traumatised after they had gone.
“The police searched my house for four hours. They left me, my family members and well-wishers traumatised and frightened,” Goje said.
“At the end of the raid, they left with N18 million; $19,000; 4000 Saudi riyal. The police also left with my laptop, 18 files from my office.
“The police truncated work on 2017 budget. Nigerians should therefore blame the police if the passage of the 2017 budget is delayed.
“As I speak, I have had no official contact with the police. I don’t know if the police are now working on the budget. They have hijacked they budget. We will manage to pass this budget but don’t blame us if it is delayed.”
