Senate to probe funds to Police Colleges

The Senate has vowed to carry out a holistic probe into the funds allocated to the college and other institutions of training in the force. This is after it shredded itself for not carrying out an adequate oversight function which would have detected the deplorable and appalling situation of the college and then raise an alarm, prior to the recent visit of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Answering questions from journalists in Abuja, yesterday, Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, ANPP, Yobe North, said the Senate had completed arrangement to summon the Police authorities to explain how funds appropriated to the college were utilised.

Lawan, however, said that the investigation of the committee would go beyond the Police College, Ikeja, with a view to finding a lasting solution to the rot in the entire system.

Lawan, who could not give the exact figures appropriated to the college, said:  'I don't have any figure off hand as to how much has been appropriated. But one thing is very certain and clear from the visit of Mr. President to the police college in Lagos that some agencies of government have not been living up to expectations.

'The public accounts committee has already taken some steps to ensure that the police authorities appear before the committee to explain the utilisation of the funds appropriated particularly to the college. But we are also expanding beyond the college because this is a sign that all is not okay with the police organisation.

'I want to hope that the rot will stop with the police college. But if in the course of our investigation we discover that it is more than the college and that some organisations within the police are facing the same thing, then we have to take very serious action.

'First, we have to determine whether the funds were adequate so that if the funds were not adequate, we will like to see how prudent, economically and efficiently the scarce resources were utilized. If, however, the funds were enough and  someone failed to do his or her duty, we will surely recommend serious sanctions for whoever is responsible.'

Senator Lawan also admitted that the National Assembly, particularly the Senate and House Committees on Police Affairs, would have detected the rot in the college had the committees did their jobs well.