Senator ‘loses’ police security after criticising IG Idris

A senator, Emmanuel Bwacha, has told his colleagues how police security detail was withdrawn after he criticised the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

Mr Bwacha narrated his ordeal while contributing to an allegation raised by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, that Mr Idris was plotting to frame him.

He said the police officers abandoned him on a trip despite having duly requested their company.

“I came into this chamber this morning to raise a different matter. When I heard from the President of the senate of this dangerous plot, I was humbled. Virtually every one of us stands the danger of this sort. What we should do is to also behave as if we are in the understanding that the president doesn’t know. Let us also go to him that our democracy is collapsing under your watch,” he said.

“On Thursday, I was travelling from Abuja to Jos with policemen; I requested legitimately through a route that is notorious for kidnapping and killings. While getting to Jos, the commander of the mobile called them and said, withdraw from him and go to the nearest police station. Leave him alone. I stopped and asked, ‘what is the matter’? My simple crime is that I told the media that it is wrong for the IG not to appear before us.”

In response to questions from his colleagues on how he escaped, Mr Bwacha said he managed to guard himself and drove himself back to Abuja thereafter.

“They told me that they needed to withdraw, that they had the instruction to leave me alone. I stopped there because I was afraid, I decided that let them leave so that they won’t know where I would lodge. So, I left them. They went to the nearest police station, abandoned me there. The next day, I managed to drive back to Abuja in fear.”

The senate constituted a nine-man committee to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to look into the allegation by Mr Saraki.