The witness, Haruna Kolo, had told the panel that he was used as a front by the Chairperson of the Federal Character Commission to collect money from job applicants.
The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating cases of job racketeering in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) has issued an arrest warrant against Haruna Kolo, a staffer of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).
The Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), announced this on Thursday during the sitting of the committee.
The committee made the resolution following the non-appearance of Mr Kolo at the hearing.
The Federal Character Commission and its Chairman, Muheeba Dankaka, have been in the eyes of the storm over allegation of selling employment slots in federal establishments.
Mr Kolo had on Monday, testified before the committee and accused Mrs Dankaka of running an employment ring in the FCC. He confessed to have been used as a front by the Chairperson to collect money from job applicants. Mrs Dankaka denies the allegations.
The Committee had directed Mr Kolo to appear again on Tuesday, however, he has refused to do so since then.
At the resumption of the hearing on Thursday (today), Mr Gagdi stated that the committee had resolved that the arrest warrant be issued against Mr Kolo. He directed the clerk of the committee to ensure compliance.
"For Haruna Kolo, the position of this committee is that he would lose his freedom. We will issue a warrant of arrest in respect of Haruna Kolo and compel security agencies to present him before this committee at any given period if he is so arrested.
"So this committee would communicate officially to the various security agencies," Mr Gagdi said.
Power of warrant of arrest
Section 89(1d and 2), gives the two chambers of the National Assembly the power to summon and issue warrant of arrest.
"For the purposes of any investigation under section 88 of this Constitution and subject to the provisions thereof, the Senate or the House of Representatives or a committee appointed in accordance with section 62 of this Constitution shall have power to -
"issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any person who, after having been summoned to attend, fails, refuses or neglects to do so and does not excuse such failure, refusal or neglect to the satisfaction of the House or the committee in question, and order him to pay all costs which may have been occasioned in compelling his attendance or by reason of his failure, refusal or neglect to obey the summons, and also to impose such fine as may be prescribed for any such failure, refused or neglect; and any fine so imposed shall be recoverable in the same manner as a fine imposed by a court of law.
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"(2) A summons or warrant issued under this section may be served or executed by any member of the Nigeria Police Force or by any person authorised in that behalf by the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case may require."
Committee summons AMCON, others
The Committee also invited the Asset Management Company of Nigeria and several agencies to appear before the Committee on Monday.
Mr Gagdi said the Committee will announce the invitation on television and in national dailies.
"We have made our position very clear and we have resolved to further communicate through newspaper communications today and tomorrow for these agencies to make sure they have cause appearance before this committee.
"And we are going to make our position very public in various dailies and televisions stations beginning from tomorrow giving agencies the last warning that they should appear before this committee on Monday unfailingly from Monday to Friday. All our witnesses that we have equally asked them to be here are going to appear before us on Monday and Tuesday in continuation to this hearing," he said.
The committee, therefore, adjourned its sitting till Monday.
