Umahi: PDP senate caucus raises alarm

…Urges IGP to probe raid on governor’s Abuja home

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Senate Caucus has raised the alarm over what it described as gestapo-like raid on the Abuja residence of the governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Dave Umahi allegedly by the police.

The caucus accordingly urge the Inspector-General of Police to order an immediate and thorough investigation into the matter, to unravel the circumstances and those behind the sinister action.

In statement on Friday in Abuja, the Senate Minority leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on behalf of the caucus described the raid as not only a direct attack on democracy but an affront on the fundamental rights of citizens of Nigeria.

Senator Abaribe said the probe has become necessary against the backdrop of the mystery surrounding the early morning raid and the subsequent denials by the police of being responsible for the dangerous action.

The minority leader further said he was at a loss as to why the police seem to be foot-dragging in constituting a panel to probe the ugly incident, even when it is claiming that thugs and not the police was responsible for the invasion.

“Let’s assume it was hired thugs that invaded the residence of a sitting governor of a state, whose duty is it to apprehend the brigands? Or does raids by thugs not constitute a crime?

“The police must come clear and the only way to do that is to carry out a thorough investigation and apprehend the culprits. We are in a democracy and people should not be made to live in fears as though we are in a lawless society.

“If a sitting governor could be subjected to such harrowing experience, then you can imagine what will happen to the man on the street”, Abaribe said.

The senator nonetheless urged the presidency to step in now by railing in some security agencies that are increasingly becoming boisterous in abridging people’s rights at every turn.

The raid on governor Umahi’s residence and the ones similar to it he added are embarrassing to the image of the country and also cast an ominous sign on the country’s fledgling democracy.

“Whatever be the case, the PDP Senate Caucus can only subscribe to relevant institutions of state to always follow due process and in accordance with the rule of law in the pursuit of state actions, but resorting to illegality with regard to the instant case shall never be condoned”, Abaribe added.