Mace theft: N/Assembly kicks as police say investigation may take 10yrs

The National Assembly panel, probing invasion of the Senate yesterday decried delay in completion of police investigation on the matter, over a month after the incident.

The joint committee of Senate and House co-chaired by Senator Bala Ibn NaAllah (APC, Kebbi) and Rep Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers) made the position known, when the commissioner of police in charge of IG monitoring unit, Abu Sani appeared before the panel.

Suspected thugs numbering five had on April 18, this year invaded the Senate and carted away with the Mace, the symbol of authority of the Senate.

Sani had told the committee that the investigation into the matter was inconclusive and assured the panel that they were working to get to the root of the matter.

He said the suspects arrested in connection with the matter have denied their involvement.

“The CCTV that was supposed to capture what happened from outside to inside the chamber was not functional. That would have assisted in puncturing the denial of the suspects,” he said.

He said the internal security of the hallowed chamber that was left in the hands of the Sergeant at arms compounded the matter. He said the Sergeant at arms (National Assembly) relied on GSM to communicate rather than radio when the thugs struck.

The police commissioner said they were still trying to establish the link between the suspects in their custody and those that carted away with the Mace. He presented an interim report of the police to the panel.

Our correspondent reports that when Rep Apiafi expressed reservation over the delay in the completion of the investigation, Sani said it could take up to 10years. She replied by saying it could even be 30 years.

In his submission, Na’Allah said the police was not adhering to rule of law in their investigation, “Otherwise the suspects would have been charged to court through FIR (First Information Report).”

“I would have loved to take this opportunity to respond to the allegations raised. But I am here to inform you that I have gone to court and parties have been served.

“The action was taken on the May 21, 2018 and all the parties enumerated have been served.”

Ndume denies directing mace bearer

Senator Ali Ndume (APC,Borno) yesterday denied the allegation that he stopped the deputy mace bearer from taking the mace from the table when the thugs struck.

Ndume spoke when he appeared before the panel, saying he lacked the authority to do so. He promised to submit a memo to the panel on how to review the National Assembly security architecture.

“I didn’t know in my whole years in this National Assembly that we are that exposed, for some people to just come in and take the mace and run away.

“For me to prevent somebody or to advise somebody not to do his job is just totally out of place because I don’t have the authority to do that. I did not do that, I cannot do that and I’m not supposed to do that,” he said.