Chidi Samuel|
The police on Tuesday said the incident at the home of deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu on Monday night was a case of attempted burglary and not an assassination attempt.
The police also said they have arrested a suspect in connection to the incident.
According to the police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, the arrested suspect, Mohammed Yusuf, from Kaura Namoda in Zamfara state attempted the burglary, along with one Ali, who is now at large.
He said the duo had earlier broken into another home belonging to Mr. Haliru Adamu at Denis Osadebey Crescent, within the same estate, where they stole phones, jewelleries, and other valuables.
The residence of the Deputy Senate President was their second target, the police said.
Moshood said Yusuf and his accomplice broke into the Apo Legislative Quarters home of Ekweremadu at about 0430hrs.
“The Police have commenced investigation into the crime and the principal suspect Mohammed Yusuf of Kaura Namoda have volunteered confessional statement after interrogation admitting to the crime and mentioned one Ali (other name unknown) now at large, who escaped from the scene to have carried out the crime along with him.
“Exhibits recovered from them include a motor jack, big screw driver, a big rod, a small kitchen knife, and other house breaking implements.
“Preliminary investigation carried out so far did not reveal assassination attempt on the life of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his family but a case of burglary.
“However, investigation is ongoing to determine if there is any other motive behind the offence.
Earlier on Tuesday, Uche Anichukwu, media aide of Ekweremadu, had said that the Abuja home of the deputy senate president was invaded by gunmen in the wee hours of Tuesday.
The deputy Senate president while speaking on the matter said police response to the incident was poor and that the security of the citizens is not in the hands of government but God.
Ekweremadu said, “It was about 4 am this morning that some people evaded the security in my house and got all the way to my room where I was sleeping with my wife. There was a struggle, there was a fight with heavy commotion and by the grace of God, we eventually caught one of them and the rest escaped.”
“We handed that one over to the police investigating the matter. The annoying aspect of it or the one that is worrisome is that at that point, I called the inspector-general of police (IGP), his phone was off. I called some of his aides, their phones rang out and nobody replied till now. I called DIG operations, till I left my house nobody showed up.
“Nobody is safe in this country, I want to appeal to my colleagues and the general public that we all continue to be prayerful, be conscious of our private security, it appears that the security is not in the hands of government but the Almighty God.”
According to the police, both Ekweremadu and Adamu have made statements about the two incidents.