REPS SUMMON IG OVER BAYELSA KILLING

Again, the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim has been summoned by the House of Representatives to explain the circumstances leading to the killing of a 20-year-old man by the Police in Bayelsa State.

Ringim would appear before the committees on Police, Human Rights and Justice, and also appear before Human Rights, Justice, Public Safety and National Security on why a group of supporters of former Lagos state Governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu were denied entry into Abuja. Adopting a motion on the matter of urgent importance by Warman Ogoriba (PDP, Bayelsa), the House mandated its committees to investigate the matter and report back in two weeks.

According to Ogoriba,'the young man was stopped by police at a check when coming back from church last Sunday, he saw the police extorting money from motorists and he preached to them to stop it but they chased him and killed him in the presence of his mother.'

He stated that the policemen did not stop at that but went ahead to arrest the deceased brother 'and inserted an Indian hemp in his hands and alleged that he was smoking the weed.'

In the motion moved by Yusuf Lasun (ACN Osun), it was alleged that a convoy of 20 18-seater vehicles conveying the people of Osun State from Oshogbo to Abuja were stopped and detained at the River Niger Bridge, Lokoja and prevented them from coming into Abuja.

Lasun stated that the occupants of the vehicles passed the night on the bridge as all entreaties made to the security agents to have them released after thorough inspection of the vehicles and the occupants were rebuffed. He described that action of the security agency as a violation of the right to movement as guaranteed under section 41(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

'The action of the security agents is construed as being disrespectful to the government and people of Osun State.'