In response to their failure to appear before its Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, the Senate has decided to issue arrest warrants for the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack; the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi; and the Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

The leaders of Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, and Sally Best Properties Limited are among the other public entities for which arrest warrants are issued.

Sen. Neda Imasuen, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, voiced concerns during a plenary session, which led to this conclusion.

Senator Imasuen bemoaned the fact that these ministries, agencies, and personnel have consistently declined requests to respond to complaints brought against them by resentful Nigerians or business entities.

In a motion made in accordance with Senate Order 42, Senator Imasuen beseeched the Senate to approve the issuing of arrest warrants, expressing displeasure with these officials’ failure to accept the Senate’s invitations. The proposal was expeditiously approved by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who cited Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution as the Senate’s authority for this kind of action.

In accordance with Section 89 of the Constitution, you already possess this authority. Please make advantage of it by obtaining an arrest warrant for any agency head who declines to come before the public petition committee, said Akpabio.

Senator Imasuen said that new invitation letters had been given to the concerned authorities in accordance with the Senate’s directive, admonishing them that arrest warrants would be issued if they did not show up.

Additionally, he stated that this week the committee will consider a petition alleging that JAMB withheld a student’s results due to a purportedly vengeful complaint from an exam supervisor.