Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of Police has approached an FCT High Court asking it to bar the Nigerian Senate from investigating him.

Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, had set up an ad-hoc committee to probe allegations of corruption and abuse of office made against Idris by Isah Misau, the senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District.

The committee is to be chaired by Francis Alimikhena, with members including Joshua Lidani, Binta Garba, Duro Faseyi, Nelson Effiong, Obinna Ogba, Abdul-Azeez Nyako and Suleiman Hunkuyi.

Misau, a retired police officer, had alleged that Idris rakes in N10 billion monthly (N120 billion annually) in illegal payments to provide police escorts to wealthy Nigerians as well as top companies in the country.

Idris was also accused of impregnating a serving police officer before hurriedly organising a secret wedding for her. Misau also accused Idris of appointing officers from his Nupe ethnic group as commanders to almost all the mobile police formations in the country.

But in the application file by Chris Ogolu, his legal counsel, Idris asked the court to restrain the senate committee “from inviting him, sitting, conducting any hearing on the allegation, discussing or making any report in respect of the planned investigation pending the determination of his suit”.

“The applicant (Idris) is a law-abiding citizen and has fundamental right to dignity of person under Section 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) (as amended), and Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act,” Ogolu stated in the application.

“The applicant occupies a hallowed office as the Inspector-General of Police in Nigeria and is thus in charge of all police officers in Nigeria.

“One Senator Isa Misau, a member of the 2nd respondent (Senate), while raising a matter of urgent national importance, had sometime between September and October 2017, alleged that the applicant instituted roadblocks across Nigeria with the purpose of extorting money from unsuspecting motorists.

“The said Senator, while commenting on his motion, equally alleged that the applicant collects illegal fees by way of security protection given to corporate organisations, eminent citizens and oil companies running into billions of naira.

“The said Senator equally rained a personal attack on the person of the applicant that the applicant is having unwholesome relationship with the female officers in the force.

“Without the first respondent (Saraki), having regard to the relevant constitutional requirements in respect of the 2nd respondent’s role in investigations of allegations, he, in reaction to these frivolous allegations, quickly constituted a committee consisting members of the 2nd Respondent to look into the matter.”

“The act of the first respondent in constituting the committee is ultra vires, unconstitutional, null and void.

“The said committee so constituted is acting ultra vires, unconstitutional, null and void.”

This is coming a few days after the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice filed two separate court cases against Misau over his allegations against Idris.

Misau was also sued for forgery of vital documents which he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2011 and 2015 general elections.