Senate probes alleged police involvement in Kwara poll, Zamfara killings

To screen NDIC, Diaspora commission chairmanship nominees
The Senate has directed its Committee on Police Affairs to probe alleged police involvement in the recently-conducted by-election in Kwara State and unending killings going on in Zamfara State.These resolutions were taken following the adoption of two separate motions sponsored by Rafiu Ibrahim (PDP, Kwara South) and Tijjani Kaura (APC, Zamfara North).

Ibrahim alleged that the by-election conducted in Irepodun/ Isin/ Oke-Ero/ Federal Constituency was militarised and skewed in favour of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Raheem Olawuyi, by both the police and men of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Ibrahim, who tendered photographs of the alleged police connivance in the election rigging, alleged that even on the election day, many of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders and agents were arrested in their localities as a way of intimidating others from participating in the election.

Kaura, who drew the attention of the Senate to the unending wanton killings and kidnappings being carried out on daily basis in Zamfara State by mindless killers, said despite the recent intervention by the Presidency to stem the ugly tide, the killings remained unabated and even increasing on daily basis.

Also, Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central) said one of the recently-kidnapped people of the state was a pregnant woman who eventually gave birth in captivity.

Meanwhile, Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday referred nominees for appointment as Chairman of the board of Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Mrs. Ronke Sokefun and the Chairman/Chief Executive of the newly-created Nigerian Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, to relevant committees for screening.

This followed a letter by President Muhammadu Buhari to the upper legislative chamber request confirmation of the nominees, which was read by the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (APC-Yobe North) during plenary.After Lawan had read the letter, Saraki directed the Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions to screen Sokefun while Committee on Diaspora is to grill Dabiri-Erewa and report back to the plenary within two weeks.