GLORIFYING CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA !!!

Ijaw Youths Condemn Re-Arrest Of Ex-NIMASA DG, Says Buhari Persecuting Political Enemies.

Here’s the Press Statement from Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide condemn in the strongest terms the manhandling of the former Director General of NIMASA, Mr. Patrick Akpobulokemi by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) at the premises of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos. The conduct of the security operatives is reminiscent of the military era and it is the height of impunity which must be condemned by all lovers of democracy.

The IYC states that Mr. Akpobulokemi having been granted bail on two occasions by courts of law, there is no basis why the EFCC resorted to force in re-arresting him. The conduct of the EFCC in physically beating up and throwing Akpobulokemi into their vehicle clearly shows that the Buhari led federal government is not fighting corruption but persecution of political enemies.

Nigerians would recall that during the presidential campaigns, Mr. Akpobulokemi was accused of sponsoring hate campaigns against General Buhari, hence the IYC is not surprised that the Mr. Akpobulokemi is now being subjected to such cruel treatment.

While the IYC is not against the fight against corruption but it must be done within the ambit of the law, respect for human rights and all inclusive. What is presenting playing out is selective and vindictive attack on political enemies and this must be rejected and condemned by all. We wish to warn that harassment of political enemies would not in any way aid the success of the Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade but would only lead to its derailment.

We also call on the EFCC to have a rethink on its ill-advised invitation of Chief Government Ekpemupolo and the threat to declare him wanted. The IYC strongly feel that such politically motivated actions of the anti-corruption agency would only succeed in heating up the polity and cause unrest in the Niger Delta region.

Chief Ekpemupolo having approached the court of law as a law abiding citizen, the EFCC should wait for the outcome of the court proceedings. We wish to warn that where a government adopts illegal means to achieve its motives, citizens may be forced to resort to self-help!

Singed for the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide:

Eric Omare,

Spokesman‎.


DETAILS OF RE-ARREST IS BELOW:

Security agents yesterday re-arrested a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Patrick Akpobolokemi outside the Federal High Court premises in Lagos moments after his trial for allegedly defrauding the Federal Government was adjourned.

Policemen and plain clothes operatives swopped on him and bundled him into a waiting bus soon after Justice Ibrahim Buba adjourned trial to January 18.

Akpobolokemi’s re-arrest is linked to fresh allegations of fraud  of about   N12, 905, 485.000 meant for a maritime university.

Of the sum, N11,737,854,485.00 was  allegedly  paid into a company suspected to be owned by Chief Government Oweize Ekpemopolo a.k.a Tompolo. He is also said to have diverted N816 million meant for the Voluntary International Maritime Organisation Members State Audit (VIMSAS).

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Akpobolokemi and three others on charges of converting N2.6billion as well as defrauding the Federal Government to the tune of N795.2million.

The others are Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan, and three companies, namely Blockz and Stonz Limited, Kenzo Logistics Limited and Al-Kenzo Logistic Limited.

In a 22-count charge, they were accused of converting N2,658,957,666 between December 23, 2013 and May 28 this year. The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Akpobolokemi and nine others, including two companies, were earlier arraigned before Justice Saliu Saidu of the same court on a separate charge of conspiring among themselves to convert N3.4billion belonging to NIMASA. They also pleaded not guilty.

It was learnt that Akpobolokemi, dressed in white, was released from prison custody at the weekend after perfecting the bail conditions imposed on him by Justice Buba.

There was a mild drama as the operatives made to grab him as he left the courtroom. The defendant resisted the move, claiming that he was on bail.

But the security agents, who ignored his protests, overpowered and bundled him into a waiting bus to the bemusement of onlookers.

Effort by his lawyer, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), to intervene and prevent his client’s re-arrest was unsuccessful.

Justice Buba adjourned because three of the accused persons’ lawyer, Mr. Seni Adio, said he had just been briefed. He sought more time to study the case file.

“I don’t even have a copy of the charge; I have no document whatsoever,” Adio said.

Agaba’s lawyer, N.O. Balogun, also sought an adjournment, saying he was also only briefed over the weekend, after the former counsel, Mr. Madu Paschal, withdrew his representation on the grounds that he was planning a burial ceremony.

EFCC’s lawyer Festus Keyamo urged the court to reject the applications for an adjournment in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

“This is one of the issues that this new law seeks to arrest: the law allows the court to take full control of its proceedings and not allow unnecessary delays at the instance of lawyers,” Keyamo said.

But Justice Buba said considering new documents which the prosecution served on the defendants, and the fact that Adio deserved time to study the case file, he would adjourn.