The Senator James Manager led Senate ad-hoc committee saddled with the task of investigating claims by Senator Dino Melaye that the Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello illegally imported restricted security items into the country on Thursday began its work in earnest few hours after it was given the job with a visit to the Nnamadi Azikwe International Airport.
Members of the ad-hoc committee were shown some of the imported items which include military camouflage uniforms, boots, night goggles, and bullet proof vests by some officials of Nigeria Customs Service as shown in some photographs posted on the social media by Senator Melaye.
But it was not clear if the Customs officers conformed that the items were indeed imported by the Kogi state governor as claimed by the Senator.
Senator Melaye had on Thursday raised alarm at the plenary that the governor of his home state who he had been at loggerheads with for some times now, had imported some security gadgets with obtaining the statutorily required end user certificate from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
According to the Senator, Customs seized the equipment on landing at the airport, in spite of attempts by Mr. Bello’s Security Adviser, Capt. Jerry Omodara (rtd) to clear the imported items.
He asked the Senate to instruct the James Manager led-Ad-hoc Committee to take the issue as part of their assignments and to ensure that they were still in the custody of NAHCO.
The Senate had earlier set-up a committee headed by Senator James Manager Delta PDP, to carry out a detailed investigation of attacks during empowerment program organized by Senator Ahmed Ogembe, in Okene, Kogi state last weekend.
“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, in view of this, I urge the Committee led by a ranking Senator, James Manager to add this assignment.”
“I also urge them to move to NAHCO this afternoon to ensure that those items are still in their custody,” Melaye said.
The Deputy Senate President who presided over the plenary had asked the Ad-hoc committee to investigate the claim and turn in its report as quickly as possible.