Date: 2017-03-22

The Senate yesterday resolved to probe allegations that a N298 million armoured jeep seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) belongs to Senate President Bukola Saraki.

The probe would be to ascertain if the seizure was responsible for the Senate's insistence that the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, must appear before senators in full uniform.

An online newspaper had reported that the armoured vehicle, worth N298m, was seized by the Customs on its way from Lagos to Abuja earlier this year, due to non-payment of import duty, amounting to about N72m. The Senate also resolved to probe an allegation that Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi) possesses a fake certificate from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

Coming under matters of privileges, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno) said the two allegations breached the privileges of senators and that the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions be mandated to investigate the matter. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary referred it to the committee and gave the panel four weeks to report back to the Senate.

Meanwhile, both Saraki and Melaye have denied the allegations.