The House of Representatives, on Thursday waded into the controversy that has been trailing the murder of the Principal Private Secretary to the Edo State governor, Olaitan Oyerinde, by mandating its Justice and Police Affairs committees to probe the alleged underhand dealing in prosecuting the murder case by the police.
The resolution came as a result of a motion under matter of urgent national importance, moved by Hon. Pally Iriase.
However, the House rejected one of the prayers of the motion that sought to “compel the Nigerian Police to immediately arraign the six suspects, who were arrested, investigated and handed over to the force by the Department of State Security Service”.
The lawmaker informed the House that “at the launch of the New Code of Conduct and Professional Standards for Police Officers on Thursday, January 10, Governor Adams Oshiomhole ironically but pointedly accused the police force and, in particular, the Deputy Inspector-General of police (DIG), Peter Gana, of cover up and gross professional misconduct, thereby bungling the investigation into the murder of Comrade Oyerinde.”
He noted that the allegation was not only persistent, but it had drawn widespread comments in the media about the safety of citizens and reliability of the police force.
According to him, “uncharacteristically, the police have not defended itself nor deny authorship of the police report sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution in Edo State, which exposed the alleged shoddiness and criminal cover up perpetrated by the named DlG and others,” noting that “the allegation, if proven, clearly contradicts the avowed vision and mission statements contained in the code of conduct document and belies the values espoused therein.”
He maintained that the SSS had arrested and paraded six suspects, who confessed that they murdered Oyerinde, stressing that “the suspects gave a graphic description of how the crime was committed and the SSS found on them an I-Pad, cell phone and laptop belonging to the deceased and the wedding ring of the his brother in-law”.
When the amended motion was put to vote by the Speaker, it was unanimously supported by the members.
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