THE Nigeria Police Force has detained Alwan Hassan, convener of the Grassroots Initiative Concept and former presidential aide, days after he publicly accused Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin of blocking the confirmation of Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Hassan was taken into custody at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja on Friday after honouring a police invitation.
Sources told News Point Nigeria that he arrived at the facility in the afternoon but was not released as of the time this report was filed.
Details of the petition or allegations that triggered the police invitation remain unclear, and neither Mr Hassan’s associates nor the police have provided official clarification.
His arrest comes barely days after he made explosive allegations against top officials of the National Assembly.
Hassan had accused the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, of deliberately blocking the confirmation of Abdullahi Garba Ramat, a Kano-born technocrat nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to head NERC despite his successful screening before the Senate Committee on Power.
He alleged that the Senate leadership was engaging in what he described as “deliberate political obstruction,” insisting that Mr Ramat’s confirmation was being stalled for reasons he claimed were rooted in personal and political interests.
Hassan further escalated his claims by alleging that Senate officials demanded a $10 million bribe from the NERC nominees before their confirmation could proceed.
The statement caused widespread controversy and drew immediate condemnation from the Senate.
The Senate, in a rebuttal issued earlier in the week, described Hassan’s allegations as “baseless, malicious and defamatory.” It insisted that the screening and confirmation process was transparent and free of impropriety.
Lawmakers also threatened legal action against Hassan, accusing him of attempting to tarnish the integrity of the National Assembly and mislead the public.
Efforts to confirm the reasons for Hassan’s detention proved unsuccessful. Calls and messages sent to the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, were not returned.
As of press time, no official statement had been issued by the police, leaving the circumstances of his arrest as well as whether it is tied to his public accusations open to speculation.