We suspected as much. When they stubbornly spilled the “dirty” beans, we knew the end wouldn’t have been in sight. Not so soon. We were expectant, and we are yet to be disappointed.

And the gladiators are Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, and Senator Isah Hamman Misau, representing Bauchi Central (APC). He is chairman, Senate Committee on Navy.

We didn’t expect it would be an easy ride for either of them. We were convinced their road(s) would be rough (apologies to the late Dr. Tai Solarin). We were excited we were in for a long-distance journey. We are happy things are turning out in that direction.

Misau had accused Idris of appropriating N10 billion police fund to himself on a monthly basis. This comes up to a whopping N120 billion a year. It was one of several other allegations.

The IGP was apparently rattled, and he could not hide it. He then dug deep. He upturned so many files and burnt midnight candles. Just as he was about giving up, his search paid off handsomely.

Promptly, he hit back at the senator; a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Idris, among others, insisted Misau was a police deserter, who allegedly left the police without due process.

Although he was cleared of this allegation by the Police Service Commission (PSC), Misau has been in and out of court in recent times. Courtesy of the IGP.

Samplers: On October 7, 2017, he was confronted with a seven-count charge. Three days after, it was amended and hiked to 10 charges. He was again docked on November 8. All charges border on forgery, false documents and spreading “injurious falsehood” against the IGP.

Misau was equally said to have falsely accused the IGP of making almost half of the mobile commanders the people of his Nupe extraction.

The treatment meted out to Misau angered his senator colleagues. They could not swallow it anymore. They were determined to rescue one of their own.

The Senate would not let Idris be. It raised an ad hoc committee to address the IGP-Misau saga. The committee swiftly sent for the IGP, and he responded without looking back.

Obviously, he had his joker close to his chest, as his response was not ordinary. He was confident. He knew how to deal with such situations.

He adequately armed himself. He sensed his appearance could make or mar him. That informed his being accompanied by his lawyer, Alex Izinyon. The lawyer did not disappoint him. And the IGP did his bidding to the letter.

The lawyer stopped him from answering any of the committee’s questions. He told him to ignore the senators and their enquiries. And Idris did just that. His terse response was blunt: “I will not make any oral comment or answer any question in respect of the allegations in view of the various cases pending in the law courts, more especially when the senator has already been arraigned in court in respect of this matter.”

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Why then did he appear before the committee if he was not going to cooperate? He responded: “I decided to appear before this senate committee on the allegations out of high respect I have for the Senate and my respect for the rule of law.”

Thereafter, he kept mute. But his lawyer continued where he stopped: “We have very high respect for the Senate. We decided to be here to demonstrate that we have nothing to hide. We have responded to all the allegations raised, word-to-word, to the committee.

“This is an ad hoc committee. There are rules. The Standing Rules of the Senate says when a case is in court any reference to it may be prejudice.”

There and then, the committee lost its steam. It was desperately looking for a way out. Its chairman, Francis Alimikhena, was particularly miffed and pissed off. He attempted to spit fire: “This is a committee set up by the Senate before you went to court. The court is interfering with our work. Let us stick with the truth.

“The Senate is not to witch-hunt anybody. If you are going to court, it does not stop the Senate from probing the virement made by the police boss. You cannot stop that.”

Almost all the committee members agreed to allow time to heal the wounds. They opted to cease fire and go back to study the IGP’s written defense.

Joshua Lidani put it this way: “Senator Misau raised the issue because he said his privileges were abused. It was not a public petition. We need time to look at the documents you submitted. If the issues are not adequately addressed, we will call you again. We are not witch-hunting anybody.”

Alimikhena adjourned sitting indefinitely. He insisted the Senate has the power to entertain virement. And that the issue has nothing to do with the court: “Coming here is your duty. When you are summoned by the Parliament you must come.”

Where will this IGP-Misau saga lead us? A point of no return, like its numerous predecessors? There are so many matters of this nature unresolved, perhaps the reason they keep on rearing their ugly heads in various dimensions, shapes and scopes.

It is always the same pattern, probes and the reports put permanently in the cooler. None has been seen to be reasonably resolved.

Sulaiman Hukunyi put it succinctly: “The nature of the issues raised is not good for the IGP or the Senate. These issues need to be cleared.”

We cannot agree less. We are confused.

The ball is in whose court? The response of the IGP to the Senate will go a long way to determine this; even as Misau makes it a date again on November 28, 2017, in court.