The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has released the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Uyi Igbe; Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu; and the Chief Whip, Folly Ogedengbe.
The three principal officers of house had been invited by anti-graft agency to appear before it on Wednesday.
But the Chairman, House Committee on Youths, Sports and Information in the assembly, Adjoto Kabiru, had on Thursday raised the alarm over the alleged detention of the three lawmakers by the EFCC for forging the signature of another member of the house.
Speaking at the Benin Airport, the Speaker, expressed dissatisfaction with the agency, who concerned itself with the affairs of the house rather than focus its attention in the investigation of financial crimes.
He, however, assured that the house would continue to remain focused in its constitutional duties and not be intimidated.
Igbe said, “I was under the impression that they were to investigate financial misappropriations, only for us to get there and issues that concern the house of assembly was what they were bringing up.
“What they were telling us was that somebody alleged that we forged the signature amongst the signature that we used to impeach the former Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea.
“I was taken completely aback. Then again I’m not too surprised because we all know that this is the systematic way they have been using to harass and intimidate us since.
“But I want them to know that this is only going to make us stronger. We will remain focused. We will not be shaken. We refuse to be intimidated.”
Meanwhile the Edo State Police Command has said that it has charged 22 suspects in connection with last Saturday’s attack at the Edo State House of Assembly Legislators’ Quartres to an Oredo Magistrate Court in Benin.
It would be recalled that the command had earlier arrested 12 person over the attack which left 36 vehicles belonging to the All Progressives Congress lawmakers in the state house of assembly vandalised.
The Commissioner of Police, Folusho Adebajo, in a statement made available to journalists in Benin also added that the command was “still hunting for other suspects that have gone underground to evade police arrest and prosecution.”
While stating that the command remained neutral in handling the present political crises in the state, it urged politicians to play the rules and shun acts capable of causing a breakdown of law and order in the state
*Punch
