Senate asks security agencies to fully investigate attempt on Ekweremadu’s life

…Rejects police claim of burglary
…DSP threatens to make video public
The Senate yesterday called on security agencies to carry out a full scale investigation into the assassination attempt on the lives of Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, his wife and son.

The lawmakers also dismissed as irresponsible, submission of the police, that the incident was a case of burglary and not an assassination attempt.

Ekweremadu, has, however, threatened to release the video of the engagements between himself, wife, son and the criminals in his bedroom during the unfortunate invasion of his house at around 4.00am on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.

The incident which was debated on Tuesday upon report by the Deputy Senate Ptesifent, was, however, reopened yesterday by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

Standing on Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Rules, Abaribe accused the Police of a purported cover up due to a quick dismissal of the incident as a case of burglary.

Abaribe said, “The police said it was a mere burglary. We all know that these days are very ominous days for politicians in Nigeria especially for those who are politically exposed as each and every one of us is.

For the police to quickly without even interviewing the very person for whom this incident happened to- the deputy senate president, wife and his son and come out and determine that it was a burglary, actually burgles the mind.

“We know in this country Bola Ige was killed in his home. We know and also as a fact that the former gubernatorial candidate, Funsho Williams was killed in his home.

“The investigations are still ongoing. For the police to quickly and willingly dismiss this home invasion that could have led to a fatality and their proof was that somebody else was burgled. Nobody knows how they have come to such situation.

“If we want to do an investigation, we will do it. I know that in this country a general that was killed was investigated until they found his body and they found that means that if we insist on doing the right thing we do it.

“Our fear today is why is the Police engaging in a cover up? Why is the police continually at any time that it concerns people that do not have presidential oversight or cover, they quickly come out and have a report?”

Shedding light on the development, Ekweremadu, said that the Deputy Inspector General in charge of Operations and the Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory came to his house in the afternoon under the direction of Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

He, however, expressed shock that the police dismissed his case as a mere burglary case.

He said: “In the afternoon, the Deputy Inspector General of operations came to my house and said it was the IG who sent him to come and see me. He came with the Commissioner of police in charge of FCT. I showed them round and of course they were very sympathetic of what happened.

“I was shocked when I wake up this morning that what happened in my house is a mere case of burglary. I am at a loss because as we speak, they have not taken any statement from my son who was hospitalised;

they have not gone to the hospital to find out what exactly happened to my son. They have invited security personnel attached to me who reported yesterday some are still reporting this morning.

“They looked at the CCTV tapes operated by the DSS and a staff of my house, apparently they were not able to figure it out. So it was easy for them to quickly dismiss what really happened.

Unfortunately for them, later yesterday evening a technician came and was able to figure out and was able to produce the CCTV footage, including how they gained entrance into my house and how they got a way into my room and the fight between them my wife and my son and all the efforts we made to save our lives.

“I am happy that we have that in our custody which the police is not aware of. I am sure that Nigeria will be shocked on what transpired and all the efforts made to save our lives.

Now that the police appears to have concluded the case, unless they withdraw the statement that it is a mere case of burglary, I may now be forced to release those footage to the media,

international communities so that Nigerians and ordinary people judge whether it was a case of burglary or attempt to kill me or whether they just want to come to my house to have a breakfast or have a handshake with me.

“I am happy I am alive to tell my story. It appears to me that the man who said it was a mere case of burglary does not know what burglary is about.

He doesn’t need any teaching he just needs to go into the internet and find out what burglary is really about. He can compare if it is the same with what happened in my life.

“I also want to appreciate those who said they want to come to my house and provide security service for me with their machetes and Dane guns if the police have failed to do that.

If they fail to withdraw so I have to accept those offers, but I don’t want that to be our portion.”

After exhaustive debate, the Senate directed the security agencies to carry out a full scale investigation into the case.