Police IGP Vows To Arrest Saraki Without Delay See Saraki’s Response
“We are going to promptly arrest the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and produce him before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Monday.“Since it is a bench warrant issued by a competent court, the order will be carried out without delay. We don’t want to pre-empt anything.”
Following the development in the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) today, Friday, September 18, 2015 when the Tribunal chose to ignore the subsisting order of a Federal High Court by sitting, we hereby state our position as follows:
1. While the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, had stated and maintains that he is ready to submit himself to due process of the law on any issue concerning him, he also believes he has an inalienable right to resort to the same judiciary for protection when he feels his fundamental rights are about to be infringed upon.
2. It is for this reason that Dr. Saraki, having satisfied himself that the case filed by the CCB and the manner in which the case was filed show that he will not be given justice, resorted to the Federal High Court for the determination of the issues of competence of the prosecutor as well as compliance with the procedure stipulated in the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
3. The Federal High Court on Thursday, September 17, 2015, therefore ordered that the all parties in the case should appear before it on Monday, September 21, 2015. The implication of this ruling by a Court of competent jurisdiction is that the sitting today has been overtaken by event. It is for this reason that Dr. Saraki chose to go about with his normal official schedule.
4. Today at the Tribunal, Counsel to the Senate President, Mr. M. A. Mahmud (SAN), raised a motion stating that there is a pending constitutional matter before the Federal High Court to be decided on Monday and that the Tribunal should hold the trial until the constitutional matter is disposed of.
5. We are however dismayed that the Tribunal chose to disregard the order of the Federal High Court and the motion to suspend hearing till Monday when all parties are expected to argue their positions on the constitutional matter.
6. It is also a surprise to us that despite the application by the lead counsel to the Senate President that he will produce Dr. Saraki on Monday and the personality of the person involved as the Number three man in the country, the Tribunal insisted on issuing a warrant of arrest as if its intention is simply to embarrass Dr. Saraki. We are not unmindful of the fact that the Tribunal is acting under political influence and external pressure. This is dangerous to our democracy.
7. The conduct of the Tribunal today left nobody in doubt that it cannot do justice on the matter before it. It is also clear that today’s decision is an abuse of the rule of law which portends danger to our judicial system. The Tribunal has equally set a bad precedent in the way and manner it conducted itself during the proceedings.
8. We want to emphasise the fact that this is not part of any war against corruption but using state institutions to fight political opponents and seeking to achieve through the back door what some people cannot get through democratic process.
9. We need to caution here that in a desperate bid to settle political scores and nail imaginary enemies, we should not destroy our democratic institutions and heat the polity for selfish reasons. Let us all learn from history.
9. The Senate President is a law abiding citizen who will not do anything to undermine the judicial process and authority. However, Dr. Saraki will always act to protect his fundamental human rights.
End
Signed
Yusuph Olaniyonu
Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President.
NDLEA Arrests 6 Nigerians Including A Bureau De Change Operator for swallowing $156k (N32million)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on Thursday arrested a money laundering syndicate for swallowing $156,000(about N32m) at Excel Oriental Hotel along Airport Road, Lagos.
The six suspects including a Bureau de Change operator were arrested in the hotel while they were busy swallowing the large sums of money with the intention of exporting $156,000 to Brazil.
According to a statement by the agency, those arrested are Nwokenta Kingsley, 37, a Bureau de change operator, also known as Buchito; Onwuasoanya Augustine Chukwuemeka, 54, who lives in Brazil and Christian Okoli Ifor, 35, based in Brazil,Nwokenta Emmanuel Maduakolam, 31; Ezenwa Ikenna, 28, a specialist in wrapping; and Ezenwa Uzoma, a 33-year-old hotel manager.
Mr. Nwokenta Kingsley, a.k.a Buchito is said to be the brain behind the suspected criminal act. Mr. Kingsley allegedly supplied $120,000 to be swallowed and illicitly exported to Brazil.
“Onwuasoanya Augustine Chukwuemeka swallowed 74 wraps of dollars amounting to one hundred and eleven thousand ($111,000). Christian Okoli Ifor who resides in Brazil had forty-five thousand dollars which he wanted to swallow. Nwokenta Emmanuel who is the manager of Amazon Bureau de Change played a supportive role in the alleged crime. Ezenwa Ikenna was hired to wrap the money.
“Onwuasoanya Augustine swallowed 74 wraps of dollars amounting to US$111,000. Christian Okoli who resides in Brazil had US$45,000 which he wanted to swallow.”
Did you know 2face once tried to be a goalkeeper?
‘No Woman Has Toasted Me Since I Got Married’, Watch 2face talk about women toasting him