ABUJA – THE House of Representatives Wednesday resolved to summon the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to explain the reason behind the extra-judicial killings of a five-year old girl, Godgift Oduku, a footballer with the 3SC Football Club, Joseph Izu, Innocent Kokorifa, 17 and a 30 year old man whose name was given as Inyan, by the Nigerian Police
The House frowned that many innocent Nigerians had been killed as a result of extra-judicial killings by the same Police that were paid with the tax payers money to protect the lives and property of Nigerians and the Joint Tax Force.
The Green Chamber said that the IGP should appear before its Committees on Police Affairs and Human Rights to give insight into the extra judicial killings and the steps taken to prevent such “reckless and avoidable” killings in future.
The resolution to summon the IGP was sequel to the motion on urgent national importance titled, “Motion on the need to investigate extra judicial killings in Bayelsa State”, sponsored by Douye Diri who represents Yenagoa/Kolokuma Opokuma Federal Constituency of the State.
Diri in his motion at the plenary presided by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara noted that the Nigerian Police which is a creation of the law has the primary function to protect the citizens and visitors within the territorial jurisdiction of Nigeria.
According to him, “”In the last two weeks, the Nigerian Police Bayelsa State Command/JTF has shot and killed four innocent Nigerians namely, Innocent Kokorifa, 17 year old, Izu Joseph, footballer with 3SC of Ibadan, Inyan 30 years old man and Godgift Oduku, five year old girl.
“The trend if not checked, may lead to a breakdown of law and order in a situation where the people will be forced to defend themselves from attacks from the very police who have been paid by the tax payers to protect them.
“While carrying out their constitutional role in Bayelsa State, Ekeki community in Yenagoa Local Government to be precise, the police is alleged to have been engaged in extra judicial killings.”
The lawmaker however, noted that, “While it is the duty of the police to maintain civil law in our society, it is expected that such function is to be carried out with utmost care and respect for human life. The police has tried in their own way to keep our society safe from criminals.”
In his contribution to the motion, Rep. Ossai Nicholas Ossai said it was time the lawmakers rose up against impunity, adding that no agencies of government should be greater than the people.
“As a House that is the voice of the people, we should rise against impunity, we should rise against recklessness”, he stated.
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