Investigation Of Senate Mace Theft Might Take 10 Years – Police

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 Na-Allah (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).”

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