Breaking: Reps move to sanction police, DSS over refusal to arrest ministers, heads of agencies

The House of Representatives on Tuesday, consolidated two Bills, seeking to penalise officers of the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Security, for failure to arrest and compel the appearance of Ministers and Heads of agencies, who fail to honour summons of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly is empowered by sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, to Investigate all agencies and cause arrest, of those who do not cooperate with their enquiry on any issue.

The two Bills are entitled: A Bill for an Act to Amend the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017 to Prescribe the Offence and Punishment for Contempt of Legislative Houses, to Provide Punishment on the Police or any other Law Enforcement Agent that refuses to Arrest any Person as directed by a Legislative House, to provide Exception to the kind of person to be compelled by a Legislative House, such as President, the Executive Governors and their Deputies, Diplomats and their agents, Representatives of International Organisations such as the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, ECOWAS, and  “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Legislative House and Guarantee the Principle of Separation of Powers, and for Related Matters”.