Police arrest 4 officers in connection to alleged assassination attempt on Ekweremadu

Four officers of the Nigeria Police Force have been arrested in connection to the alleged attempt made on the life of the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu.

According to a statement signed by the lawmaker's spokesperson, Uche Anichukwu, gunmen evaded security agents and gained entry into his home around 4 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.

One of the members of the gang was eventually apprehended before any damage could be done and handed over to the Police.

While responding to the incident late on Tuesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, disclosed that the four officers arrested were on duty at Ekweremadu's residence at the time of the incidence and have been detained pending investigation.

A personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who was also on duty at the same time is also in detention.

Attack on Ekweremadu's home not an assassination attempt - Police

Moshood also revealed that the alleged assassination attempt was actually a robbery as the lawmaker's neighbour had previously been robbed by the same gang yesterday morning. He revealed that the neighbour, identified as Haliru Adamu, lost his cell phones and jewelry to the gang.

"Investigation so far carried out in the incident does not have any link to assassination attempt," he said.

The Police spokesperson also revealed that the apprehended member of the gang, identified as Mohammed Yusuf, is assisting in hunting down other members of the gang who escaped after the failed attack.

"The suspect has been assisting the police in the investigation into the matter. We have intensified efforts to arrest other suspects who escaped from the crime scene," he said.

How I escaped assassination - Ekweremadu

While narrating the attack to fellow lawmakers during plenary on Tuesday, Ekweremadu failed to give a detailed account but revealed that there was commotion in his room before one of the attackers was arrested.

He said, "It was about 4 am this morning. Some people evaded the security in my house and got all the way to my room where I was sleeping with my wife.

"There was a struggle, there was a fight, with heavy commotion and by the grace of God we eventually caught one of them. The rest escaped.

The lawmaker also expressed displeasure with how the Police responded to the case, noting that he'd been largely ignored by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

He narrated, "The annoying aspect of it or the one that is worrisome is that at that point I called the Inspector-General of police (IGP), his phone was off. I called some of his aides, their phones rang out and nobody replied, till now. I called DIG operations, till I left my house, nobody showed up.

"I now had my people invite the DPO in charge of Apo police station. We didn't see him till about 5:30, he sent his 2nd-in-command who came and he saw the dangerous weapons that they left behind, he left and sent that the DPO was coming. Until I left my house by 9 am, the DPO had not come."

Senate President Bukola Saraki expressed worry at the lukewarm reaction from the Police and urged the Force to not be partisan with the way it treats cases.