Senate rules: Alleged forgery report will be released soon – Police

The Nigeria police force in Abuja yesterday said it would release a report on alleged forgery of Senate rules by some principal officers of the Senate as soon as investigation is concluded.

The police had promised to release the report of their investigation into the forgery allegation this week.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, made the disclosure in Abuja on Monday.

Ojukwu said the police had talked to all the people involved in the case and would make the findings public.

The Senate Unity Forum, which petitioned the police on the forgery, had expressed concern over the slow pace of investigation into the forgery allegations.

The forum alleged that the Senate Rules Book was amended without the input of senators to favour the emergence of Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu as Senate president and deputy, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, has cautioned policemen against unnecessary detention of suspects.

Arase gave the warning on Wednesday while addressing officers and men of the Gombe police command.

Arase said suspects should not be detained without sufficient evidence to back the detention.

“I am against keeping people in custody, unless you have sufficient evidence against them. That is why those of you who were in training now were being taught intelligence base policing.

“That your investigation must be intelligence-driven, must be evidential, you must have sufficient evidence before you will invite somebody to the station.

“The issue of keeping people long in the cell before you start looking for evidence is no longer accepted. We are facing challenges, the money we use in settling human rights abuses is supposed to be channelled to your own welfare.”

The police boss explained that the custody approach of policing was not the right approach, “except on cases where you know you do not have the competence to release people on bail, and is not suppose to be monetised.”

Arase said that whenever a case was not criminal in nature, the police should endeavour to settle the parties concerned amicably.

“By the time you settle parties that came in contact with you, you develop friendship and your relationship with members of the public is further enhanced,” he added.