The House of Representatives’ Ad hoc Committee on Assessment and Status of All Recovered Loots Movable and Immovable Assets from 2002 to 2020 by Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria for Effective Efficient Management and Utilisation has threatened to invoke its constitutional powers against top Federal Government officials who failed to attend its investigative hearing.
Those who have been summoned to appear before the committee unfailingly on Thursday include the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.); Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba; Commandant-General, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi; and Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Bashir Jamoh.
The Chairman of the committee, Adejoro Adeogun, while taking the roll-call of invitees, discovered that most of them did not show up while those who claimed to be representing their bosses failed to show a letter confirming them as proxies.
A member of the committee, Ibrahim Isiaka, who was miffed by the development, called for drastic action against the erring officials.
Isiaka said, “If it amounts to raising it up on the floor of the House, we should shut down the National Assembly if agencies of government, by (the provisions of) Sections 88 and 89 (of the Constitution), are not going to respect us. We don’t need to be here if we are to be tied from performing our function.”
The lawmaker said the committee would appeal to those concerned to show up on Thursday.
He said, “I want to move a motion that by Thursday, they should appear before this committee. If they fail, I think the necessary provisions of the constitution should be invoked by this committee to ensure that everybody appears before this committee.”
Members of the committee unanimously adopted the motion.
In his ruling, Adeogun said, “This committee has passed a motion now, that the Governor of CBN, Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser and the Director-General of NIMASA have between now and Thursday to appear before this committee, otherwise, the parliament will invoke its powers to deal with them according to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
