Dirty Slap Saga: Reps slap back

For an ordinary Nigerian, it is a taboo to attempt
to overtake the convoy of any government
official even if the road is free to accommodate
many vehicles. This mentality which was
inherited from military rule has become a norm
even without any legislative backing and attempt
for motorists to do otherwise attracts the wrath
of the overzealous security personnel in the
convoy.

However, it was a different ball-game on April
20, 2016 at the National Assembly complex
when the convoy of the former Comptroller-
General of Nigerian Prisons Service, Peter
Ekpendu had believed that it was business as
usual decided to descend on the member
representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal
Constituency of Delta State, Evangelist Joan
Mrakpor, who having closed for the day’s
activities was also heading home.
With Ekpendu’s convoy in its militaristic mood
and Mrakpor rushing for a divine appointment,
something was bound to give way.
How Mrakpor's vehicle confronted Ekpendu’s
convoy remains a matter of dispute but what
happened was that the legislator’s vehicle was
alleged to have refused to make way for the
prison CG’s convoy prompting an officer in the
convoy, an Assistant Comptroller-General of
Prisons, Usman Shehu Kangiwa, to bang on the
door of the legislator.
As the melee went on, an Inspector and a more
junior officer to the Comptroller, Idaa Odey, in a
manner to protect his boss from any suspected
insult, allegedly attempted to or slapped the
lawmaker.
This development did not go down well with the
House, which on the next day’s sitting ordered
the immediate appearance of the Comptroller
General, Ekpendu and the Minister of Interior
Abdulrahman Danbazzau over the alleged
physical assault on their colleague.
The lawmakers equally compelled the House of
Representatives Committee on Interior to
investigate the matter and report to the House
on Tuesday 26th April 2016.
Ekpendu, who was about proceeding on
retirement when the incident happened
eventually appeared before the committee and
said that though he had gone out as at the time
the incident took place, that he had decided to
take responsibility for the actions of his officers.
The Jagaba Adams-led committee was told that
the Comptroller General of Prisons had already
left the gate where the incident took place with
the pilot and the back-up cars.
Testifying before the Committee, Rep Mrakpor,
who introduced herself as a television evangelist
said that before she approached the gate that
there was a long convoy of SUVs made up of
Prado Jeeps and that she told her driver to
overtake the convoy.

She said that just close to the exit gate, two
vehicles she had overtaken stopped and
suddenly the occupants of the vehicle started
banging on her vehicle which made her ask what
the harassment at the National Assembly was all
about.

She said, “when I wound down, the person by my
right said, you useless prostitute and slapped
me, then I came down. The man who hit my
vehicle told me don’t you know it is the convoy
of the Comptroller General.”

She also said that security agents at the gate
were against her and that one police lady went to
her Orderly to tell him to tellthe Honourable not
to enter any convoy.

“I have been a politician and been holding offices
since 1999. Every day you get assaulted, but for
the assault of a prison officer, I am yet to find
out my offence, you either allow a person to
overtake the convoy or you stop the person,” the
lawmaker who was betrayed by her emotions
during the public hearing said.

The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of
the National Assembly and a Chief
Superintendent of Police, CSP, Nancy Ajakuna in
her testimony said going by the report before
her, the security agents did not observe any
physical assault as according to her, they said
they only heard from the lawmaker saying ‘you
hit me in the face’.

The representatives of Department of State
Services, DSS, the Sergeant-at-arms and other
police officers on duty at the time the incident
took place told the committee that they never
witnessed any slap from the Prisons officers.

However, an officer of the Sergeant-at-Arms at
the gate, Chike Igbo who claimed to have
witnessed the confusion at the gate said he was
there when the prison’s personnel pointed his
hand on the face of the lawmaker and her pair of
glasses fell.

Pilot and back-up cars
The CG, who came with his Deputy Comptroller
Generals, said that he was not at the venue of
the incident when it took place as he had already
driven out with his pilot and back-up cars but
only heard of the incident when he went to see
the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and
Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

He said, “I do not tolerate indiscipline. I am
ashamed of what happened; I am never
associated with such. I have a wife and a mother,
the act is barbaric, embarrassing and runs
contrary to my belief.”

He said that the officer involved in the incident
would face disciplinary measures according to
the Act establishing the Prisons even as he read
the query he had already issued to the officers
involved in the alleged assault.

Presenting the report of its investigations, Rep.

Jagaba said during the consideration of the
report at plenary that, from the testimonies of
six credible witnesses, the committee
established beyond reasonable doubt that SIP
Idaa Odey assaulted Rep. Mrakpor and therefore,
guilty of contravening the Legislative Houses
(Powers and Privileges) Act, 2004.

Although, when it appeared that it was only the
Inspector was going to face punitive measure,
the House Leader, Gbajabiamila was furious on
the recommendation of the dismissal of the
Inspector, while the ACGP, who allegedly started
the crisis by coming down from his vehicle to
bang on the vehicle of the lawmaker which made
the Inspector carry out his action, was left off the
hook.