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‘Senate, Saraki have hatred, contempt for me’ – IGP, Ibrahim Idris
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has begun a legal action to have the Federal High Court in Abuja to quash the May 9, 2018 resolution of the Senate declaring him “an enemy of democracy and unfit to hold any public office within and outside Nigeria.”
In an affidavit which he filed in support of his application seeking the court’s permission to file a substantive suit to challenge the resolution, Idris said the conduct of both the Senate and its President, Dr Bukola Saraki, in the proceedings leading to what he described as their “legislative judgment” was borne out of hatred and “undisguised contempt” they allegedly had for him.
The IG’s lawyer, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), appearing before Justice John Tsoho on Thursday, moved the ex parte application which sought leave to file a suit for “a judicial review” of the actions of the Senate and its President leading to the resolution passed by the Red Chamber on May 9, 2018.
Justice Tsoho granted the IGP’s ex parte application “after carefully reviewing the processes (court papers) and the exhibits filed.”
“I am convinced that the applicant has shown sufficient interest in the issues raised,” the judge ruled.
“Leave is hereby granted as prayed,” the judge ordered, adding that the order “shall be served on the respondents (Saraki and the Senate), through the Clerk of the National Assembly.”
The judge added that “such service shall be deemed proper and valid service.”
Justice Tsoho adjourned the case till June 27.
This will be the second legal battle Idris will be having with the Senate having earlier filed a suit before the same court asking for an order stopping the Senate’s insistence that he must appear in person for its legislative sitting in respect of criminal charges filed against a serving senator, Dino Melaye, and other killings around the country.
The Senate on May 9, 2018, declared Idris “an enemy of democracy and unfit to hold any public office within and outside Nigeria” after the police chief refused to personally appear before it in honour of two successive invitations in April and May, this year.
The frosty relationship between the Senate and the IGP took another dimension when earlier in the week, the police linked Saraki to the kingpins of the April 5, 2018 robbery of banks in Offa, Kwara State, which left 33 persons including policemen dead.
The Senate and the House of Representatives had thereafter, in a joint session, passed another resolution sticking to the Senate’s “vote of no confidence” in Idris.
But the IG has described the Senate’s May 9, 2018 resolution as an unwarranted “penal sanction” and “a legislative judgment” borne out of the alleged hatred and contempt the Senate and Saraki had for him.
He said the conduct of the Senate and its President, Saraki, during the “votes and proceedings” leading to the May 9, 2018 resolution “is palpable of bias, deep-rooted prejudice, visible hatred, and undisguised contempt of me.”
He stated this in an affidavit which he personally deposed to and filed in support of the ex parte application for leave to commence a legal action for a “judicial review” of the Senate’s action.
Justice Tsoho granted him the leave as prayed for in the ex parte application on Thursday.
The IG said in his affidavit that his lawyer, Izinyon, had informed him that the Senate “lacked the competence and/or jurisdiction to impose penal sanction” on him under section 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution”.
He gave details of why he was unable to personally honour the Senate’s invitation prompting him to delegate his subordinates to attend the legislative hearing on his behalf.
Idris said on April 25, he received a letter from the Senate inviting him to appear on April 26, but that he could not honour it because he was, on the said April 26, in Bauchi State, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive that he joined “the presidential entourage embarking on two days official trip to Bauchi State.”
He immediately delegated the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), an Assistant Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police in Kogi State, whom he said were all conversant with the issues raised by Saraki and the Senate to attend the Senate’s proceedings on his behalf.
He said the Senate, however, refused to grant an audience to his representatives and then rescheduled the sitting to May 2, 2018 “with a stern warning that I, Ibrahim Kopotum Idris, must appear or face the consequence.”
The IG whose affidavit did not give reasons for his inability to attend the Senate’s May 2, 2018 sitting, faulted the resolution made on May 9, 2018, as “ultra vires” the Senate’s powers.
More than ₦3 billion was targeted, but about ₦677 million reached the culprits, with recovery and prosecutions underway, reflecting how banks are responding to more sophisticated fraud risks.
Nigeria’s expanding digital banking sector is facing increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts, as financial institutions adapt to faster transactions and broader online services.
A recent case involving First City Monument Bank (FCMB), linked to fraudulent activity detected in December 2025, has drawn attention to how banks are responding to such incidents, with a focus on limiting exposure, recovering funds and working with law enforcement.
According to findings referenced in proceedings before the Lagos State Special Offences Court, the incident involved unauthorised transactions tied to a digital product. Early reports erroneously suggested more than ₦3 billion was lost. Subsequent clarification shows that over ₦3 billion was targeted, ₦2.4 billion was blocked and recovered, while ₦677 million got into the possession of the culprits. This outcome reflects the bank’s cyber security and monitoring capabilities, as well as improved collaboration among regulated financial institutions and with law enforcement agencies. Several suspects and beneficiaries have been apprehended, while recovery and prosecution efforts are ongoing, led by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Proceedings at the Lagos State Special Offences Court have resulted in convictions, including that of a repeat offender, with restitution orders issued. Related matters are also being handled at the Federal High Court in Lagos, where additional suspects are being tried in connection with the scheme. This process is aimed at ensuring that bad actors are identified and permanently blacklisted from the financial system.
Authorities say recovery efforts are continuing as additional funds are traced.
Analysts note that the pace of legal action reflects closer coordination between financial institutions and enforcement agencies in addressing cyber-related financial crime.
The case comes as banks contend with more complex fraud methods, including social engineering and automated exploitation of system processes.
As digital products and platforms expand, so too does the risk associated with cyber-crime and related fraud.
“The scale of digital banking means risks are evolving alongside the systems,” said a Lagos-based financial analyst. “Institutions are now judged by how they manage these events.”
Observers say the sector is moving toward a stronger focus on response and recovery, rather than prevention alone.
This includes improving monitoring capabilities, strengthening transaction controls and enhancing collaboration with regulators and law enforcement. The FCMB case, with limited exposure relative to the amount targeted and ongoing recovery, reflects that shift.
For customers, the primary concern is the safety of their funds. In this case, there has been no indication of losses affecting customer deposits. Maintaining that level of protection remains central to sustaining trust in the financial system.
Nigeria’s financial sector continues to grow, supported by digital innovation and expanding access to banking services.
However, analysts say fraud attempts are likely to persist as systems become more complex and interconnected.
They say institutions will increasingly be judged not only on their ability to prevent incidents, but on how effectively they respond and recover when they occur.
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Ex-APC Deputy Guber flag bearer, Joshua MacIver backs Tinubu, express fears over implosion in Bayelsa APC
….congratulates new State Party Chairman, Warman Ogoriba
APC Deputy Governorship Candidate in the 2023 general elections in Bayelsa State, Great Joshua MacIver has declared his total commitment to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu come 2027, declaring that the Tinubu re-election project is non-negotiable.
Great Joshua MacIver, in his statement titled ” BAYELSA APC CONGRESSES: GOING FORWARD, A CALL TO LOOK INWARDS” and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, warned APC leaders in the state to look Inward and take note of certain factors which may hinder or cut short our victory.
According to Great Joshua MacIver, such noticeable pitfalls include the imbalance in the united front being put up by the State Governor,Senator Douye Diri among various political blocs in the state.
In the statement issued at the weekend. Great Joshua MacIver stated that “First, before His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, joined the APC in the state, there were clearly two political blocs that made up the party, with the approximate population ratios of the blocs standing at 95% to 5%.”
“After the entrance of His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, ONLY THE SMALLER BLOC IS BEING CARRIED ALONG IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE PARTY, leaving the greater percentage to their fate, and this situation has the potential to build anger and dissatisfaction in our dear party.”
” The consequence of this has been the high level defection we have witnessed in the party recently and we believe more may likely follow, if we do not put our house in order.”
” If we do not pull together as a party, we may witness a situation where we will lose key stakeholders, especially after the State and National Assembly Primaries as well the Gubernatorial Primaries.”
“Finally, while it is very clear that we are the party to beat in the 2027 elections and that our loyalty to Mr. President IS NON-NEGOTIABLE, we must make haste to say that we cannot afford to create situations or loopholes in our unity which will be exploited by other political interests in the state. We cannot afford to under-rate anyone.”
“Our core interest remains the re-election of Mr. President, a project to which we have committed our all. We also pledge our total loyalty to the party as we have no alternative to the APC. However, our concern is that we must, as a party, look inwards and ensure that we do not create loopholes that can impede our common goal.”
Great Joshua MacIver, however congratulated the newly elected State Executives of the APC in Bayelsà State led by Hon. Warman Ogoriba, saying their emergence is welcomed at this critical time in our national history.
At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.
https://www.stanbicibtcbank.com/nigeriabank/personal/products-and-services/all-loans/stanbic-ibtc-mreif-home-loans
More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.
The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.
This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.
These were his words:
“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”
@primateayodele
Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.
Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
@primateayodele #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #fulfillment #train #abuja #primateayodele
“Let’s pray not to see train mishap in Abuja-Kaduna, Kaduna-Abuja route.”
This has also been fulfilled.
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