Security Agencies Lay Siege on NASS as Saraki, Ekweremadu defy Buhari

[Edoman]

Security Agencies Lay Siege on Nigeria’s Democracy as Saraki, Ekweremadu defy Buhari

In a desperate attempt to ridicule Nigeria’s democracy, officers of The Nigeria Police and EFCC following orders from above disbursed emergency invitation letters to leaders of the Nigerian Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki and Senator Ike Ekweremadu to appear at their offices by 8am and 10am respectively violating the customary 24 hours prior notice standards.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris wrote the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to appear at the office of Nigeria Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Abuja, over the death of 23 people killed in the robbery incident that took place in Offa, Kwara state, in April this year.


The letter was dated Monday the 23rd of July and sent by 8pm at night instructing Dr Saraki to present himself at the IRT offices by 8am the next morning. This was not just an abuse of office by the IGP but a direct violation and disrespect of the office of the Senate President, the 3rd highest office in the land. 

Reacting to the disgraceful events, Dr Saraki stated that the invitation to him by the Police over the Offa robbery investigation is a mere afterthought, which is designed to achieve a sinister political purpose. He made an official statement saying that he had it on good authority that the Police had already decided on the suspects to arraign in court in Ilorin, Kwara State on Wednesday based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed U.E. and that the turn around to invite him was a ploy aimed at scoring cheap political points.

Saraki decried the timing of the invitation as it was right before an alleged plan by some Senators and House of Representatives members from leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC). The President of the Senate’s fears were confirmed when Police men allegedly acting on the orders of the IG laid seige on his house at about 6am in the morning despite inviting him to appear by 8am.

In an unexpected but unsurprising turn of events, the home of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ikweremadu was also barricaded by officials of the Department of State Police(DSS) and the EFCC. 

The EFCC has sent a letter of invitation to him earlier in the morning asking him to appear in their office by 10am. It would be extremely naive to consider the The timing of the two invitation letters as a mere coincidence. It was obvious to Nigerians who were following that the entire drama was a very weak but desperate plot to stop the planned defections by stopping the sitting of federal representatives of the Nigerian people. 

It is not the first time that the exective tried to undermine another arm of Government by using instruments of the state and otherwise independent institutions. You would recall that The DSS attacked several Supreme Court and High court Judges in 2016 in an obvious affront against the Nigerian Judicary. 

The disregard for the rule of law  and misuse of state institutions under the Buhari administration is a growing concern for Nigerians as we approach the elections next year. 

The anti-corrption fight is turning out to be an attack against political opponents, with the new executive order that seems to target the President’s adversaries, it is quite obvious that Nigeria may slide into a gestapo state before the next elections due to the current administration’s desperation to hold on to power 

Nigerians have seen first hand the desperation of President Buhari to hold on to power as the road to 2019 becomes broader, however there is a serious sense of unease around Nigerians as they know that today was just the beginning of acts of desperation that will be thrown into play on the road to 2019.

http://thepunditng.com/security-agencies-lay-siege-on-nigerias-democracy-as-saraki-ekweremadu-defy-buhari/

[Edoman]

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, is leading senators to the Apo Legislative Quarters residence of Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, whose house has been under a siege by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and men of the Nigeria Police.

Saraki had told lawmakers at the plenary that a solidarity visit would be paid to Ekweremadu.



http://punchng.com/breaking-saraki-leads-senators-to-ekweremadus-home/

The following are photographs of senators who visited Deputy Senate President Ike Ikweremadu , at home on Tuesday .

The senators were led by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Operatives of the Department of State Services and men of the Nigeria Police had laid siege to the Abuja home of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu .

The security operatives arrived at the home in the early hours of Tuesday .
See photos by Leke Baiyewu :

http://punchng.com/photos-senators-visit-ekweremadu-at-home/

[Edoman]

Saraki Wife Blast Police for Saying They Barricaded The Resident to Protect her
July 25, 2018 politics

                       
Toyin Saraki Wife of the Senate President has reacted to the statement by the Nigeria Police force that the Officers who took over their Abuja Resident was to protect her.

In a statement The Police said that there was no authorised deployment of Police personnel to besiege the residence of the Senate President or his deputy as reported in the media. That The police personnel seen in pictures in the media were those in the convoy of the Senate President and others attached to him, who gives them maximum security.

However in reaction Mrs. Toyin posted on her Twitter this morning saying:

''I am absolutely flabbergasted by @PoliceNG Jimoh Moshood on TV attempting to claim that these white vehicles that blockaded the road outside our Abuja residence could possibly be "protection provided to the Wife of the Senate President" ! Firstly I have never received any vehicle from @PoliceNG
Secondly, I believe these vehicles bear a striking resemblance to cars donated by my dear brother @AlikoDangote.
I hope DSP Jimoh Moshood can leave me out of this unseemly contretemps. Thank you!

It was bad enough that I was forced to endure a mass invasion of my privacy, with the mis-identification of a guest at a private family occasion, falsely, as one of the @PoliceNG Offa Bank Robbery suspects. The Police did nothing to correct this widely circulated falsehood'.