Ousted House of Representatives Appropriations Committee chairman Abdulmumin Jibrin yesterday sent three versions of the 2016 budget to the police as the force began investigations of his allegation of padding.

According to The Nation, the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) of the force has started sieving the documents to isolate the padded areas.

Jibrin had petitioned the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) accusing the Speaker of the House Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun, Chief Whip Alhassan Doguwa, Minority Leader Leo Ogor, and some other members of the house of high volume “insertions” into the 2016 budget.

He accused them of inserting about 2000 projects worth N284 billion into the budget.

Jibrin had a two-hour session with the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Amodu Ali-led SIP.

It is believed that Jibrin may have to appear before the panel in the coming days.

According to a source, the panel may also invite some members of the Appropriations committee for questioning.

A source said, “The search for padded areas by the panel has started. As at Monday (yesterday), the panel was in receipt of three versions of the 2016 Budget.

“These versions are the original copy laid before the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari, the version passed by the National Assembly but rejected by the President due to omission of some key projects, such as the N60billion Calabar-Lagos rail project; and the harmonised copy.

“With the retrieval of these budget versions, detectives have started identifying padded areas by the House members.

“After locating these padded areas, the SIP will be able to determine the focus of interrogation and the list of those to be questioned alongside the 13 already implicated by Jibrin.”

Responding to a question, the source added, “The SIP may interact with all members of the House Committee on Appropriations and some chairmen of committees.

“We are also monitoring every claim by members in the media to guide our investigation.”

The source also claimed that Jibrin had a two-hour meeting with the SIP yesterday.

“Jibrin brought additional documents to support his allegations. What he did was to support every allegation with proof and the sources where he got all the documents. He is trying to prove his case that the padding was criminal.

“We have requested him for additional facts. So, Jibrin could be with us tomorrow (today) or Wednesday. We have told him additional things to bring as part of our preliminary investigation.

“We will invite Dogara and the others after we are done with Jibrin,” a source said

He added, “As the investigation progresses, we will inform the public. This is an investigation that will stand the test of time.

“ The nation should at the end of the day put an end to the culture of padding.  We will be fair to all who will appear before the SIP.”

The budget padding imbroglio has been a long drawn one as accusations and counter-accusations have been flying from both sides.