The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, on Tuesday.

This was in response to a petition submitted against him by Clement Sagwak, a security guard he assaulted.

Mr Sagwak had, through his counsel, Timzing Ramnap, petitioned the Senate where he accused Mr Umar of assaulting him.

The senator representing Plateau North, Istifanus Gyang, laid the petition before the Senate on April 29.

Mr Umar was summoned by the panel and asked to come to defend himself.

When he appeared before the committee, the CCT chairman said he had not been served the petition.

He asked the panel to give him one week to study the detailed petition which was served on him at the session to “enable him to respond appropriately.”

He was, however, given two weeks to defend the petition against him.

The Chairman of the Committee, Ayo Akinyelure, said the committee resolved to give Mr Umar two weeks – till May 18, to reappear before the committee.

He said even though the Senate would proceed on a two-week break on Thursday, the “committee is prepared to reconvene during the break to hear the respondent.”

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the CCT boss was caught on camera physically assaulting Mr Sargwak, at Banex Plaza, Wuse 2, Abuja, on March 29.

Mr Umar, in the five-minute viral video clip, was seen slapping and kicking the security guard – after an altercation ensued between them over a parking space on the premises of the plaza.

The victim, bruised on the lip, told PREMIUM TIMES he was attacked by Mr Umar after he approached him for parking wrongly.
In his petition, Mr Sagwak said he was assaulted by the CCT boss and a policeman attached to him after he informed Mr Umar that his car was wrongly parked.

He accused the CCT chairman of abuse of power, assault, torture, and ‘xenophobia’ and asked the Upper Chamber to probe the assault and ensure that justice is served.

This is one of the many probes Mr Umar will face over his widely condemned conduct.

The victim, through his lawyer, Samuel Ihensekhien, also petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) asking for a probe of Mr Umar’s action