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Saraki goes to court over EFCC’s move to seize his property in Ilorin

The Economic and Financial Crime Commisson (EFCC) has launched another investigation against Senate President, Bukola Saraki (Order Paper)
The Economic and Financial Crime Commisson (EFCC) has launched another investigation against Senate President, Bukola Saraki (Order Paper)
Saraki says the house the commission is now targeting was built with his personal fund.
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Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki has vowed to sue the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over its move to seize his property in Ilorin. 

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In a statement by his spokesman, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said the EFCC filed another process in the Federal High Court seeking the interim order of the court for the forfeiture of another of his property.

Earlier, a federal high court in Lagos ordered an interim forfeiture of two houses belonging to Saraki in Ikoyi, Lagos.

In the statement on Wednesday, November 27, 2019, Saraki described the fresh move by the EFCC as an abuse of court process, adding that a federal high court in Abuja had restrained the anti-graft agency from seizing his properties.

The EFCC is currently investigating Saraki over alleged withdrawal of over N12 billion cash from the account of the Kwara government and paid same into his accounts domiciled in Access and Zenith Banks between 2003 and 2011, when he was governor of Kwara state.

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However, in the statement, Saraki said that the house the commission is now targeting was built with his personal fund, after he left office as governor of Kwara.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). [dailynigerian]
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). [dailynigerian]

The statement read, “It has come to the attention of former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, that the has again this afternoon filed yet another process in the Federal High Court, Lagos, in which it is seeking the interim order of the court for the forfeiture of his home in Ilorin.

“This move, just like the previous one the anti-graft agency made by filing for a similar in the same court on Saraki’s Ikoyi House, is a clear abuse of the court process, violation of an existing order of a court of similar jurisdiction, disrespect of the judicial institution and therefore, amounts to forum shopping which shows that the EFCC is only engaging in act of vendetta as opposed to fighting corruption.

“This action of the EFCC runs contrary to the statement of the nation’s highest ranking judicial officer, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed who stated that: ‘The rule of law must be observed in all our dealings and we must impress it on the governments at all levels to actively toe the path. The right of every citizen against any form of oppression and impunity must be jealously guarded and protected with the legal tools at our disposal. All binding court orders must be obeyed. Nobody, irrespective of his or her position, will be allowed to toy with court judgements. As we all know, flagrant disobedience of court orders is a direct invitation to anarchy in the country. Such acts are completely antithetical to rule of law in a democratic environment and will not be tolerated under my watch as Chief Justice or Nigeria’

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“Dr. Saraki is equally surprised that EFCC which prides itself as an institution that is built on the rule of law has decided to ignore the existing order of the Federal High Court, Abuja “restraining the respondents (Commission) by themselves, their subordinates, agents, servants, or privies howsoever, from seizing, impounding, taking over, confiscating or otherwise forfeiting the Applicant’s (Saraki) right town and peacefully enjoy any of his assets and properties.

“We will like to put it on record that the Ilorin home of Dr. Saraki was built after he left office as Governor and came about through his lawful pensions and personal fund. The application for forfeiture of this property therefore amounts to witch-hunt, abuse of power and miscarriage of justice.”

The former Senate President, therefore, said he’s ready to meet the EFCC in court.

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