The Nigerian Senate has expressed dissatisfaction with the reported allegations of involvement in drug deals by its Deputy Senate Leader, Oyelola Ashiru. The upper legislative chamber took the decision on Tuesday after Ashiru moved a motion on an order of privilege. The visibly angry President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, wondered why such a report should be out in the media when there was no formal invitation to the Senator by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA.

Describing Senator Ashiru as a respected gentleman and a principal officer, the Senate President said the allegations came as a surprise to him and other senators. He described the move to malign the Kwara South Senator as an attempt to humiliate the senate.

Akpabio then announced a six-member ad hoc committee headed by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to investigate the matter and report back in one week. The Senate President charged the ad hoc committee to summon the leadership of NDLEA to appear before the Senate to justify the allegations.