President sees mace theft as an embarrassment to Nigeria - Saraki

President Muhammadu Buhari believes that the high-profile theft of the mace of the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly in April is

While plenary was being conducted in the National Assembly on April 18, 2018, hoodlums, allegedly connected to disgruntled Delta lawmaker, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, stormed the chamber and ran away with the he mace.

The mace was later recovered by the police on April 19 after it was found by a passer-by under the flyover before the City Gate in Abuja where the hoodlums abandoned it.

During a meeting between Buhari, Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, at the Presidential Villa on Monday, May 8, the Senate President revealed that the theft of the mace was one of the issues discussed.

According to him, the president promised a proper investigation of the incident as it is an issue of national security that must be taken seriously.

While speaking to State House correspondents on Monday, Saraki said, "Well, we came on the invitation of Mr. President. He wanted to brief us on his trip to the United States and also the issue of the budget.

"We also talked on the issues of concern to us - the invasion of the national assembly, which he showed great concern about and said action would be taken to investigate that.

"Of course, he sees it as an embarrassment to the country and that there will be a proper investigation because it is something that is not just about the national assembly, it is about the country."

Saraki reports IGP to Buhari

Saraki also revealed that they reported the evasive conduct of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to the president after he turned down two invitations to appear before the National Assembly for questioning over the perceived persecution of Kogi lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye, and also matters of insecurity in the country.

"We also raised the issue of the non-appearance of the IG at the senate and felt that they must continue to ensure that he continues to apply obedience to the issue of constituted authority.

"We are of great concern that this is not the first time this is happening and that matter needs to be addressed considering the importance of the powers of the constitution that gives investigative powers to us and that there is the need for police to accept that they too are under the constitution and they must obey that," he said.