Wants House restrained from suspending him They want to destroy the evidence
In a dramatic twist to the row over the
2016 budget padding allegations causing disharmony in the House of
Representatives, the hunter now appears to be the hunted, going by
emerging development.
The erstwhile Chairman of the Committee
on Appropriation, Jibrin Abdulmumin, who made the budget-padding
allegation, has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an
order to restrain the Nigerian Police from arresting him.
The respondents in the suit are the
Nigeria Police, the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of
Police (FCT), Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Hon. Yusuf Lasun, Hon. Alhassan Ado
Doguwa, Hon. Leo Ogor and the Attorney General of the Federation,
Abubakar Malami.
The lawmaker, in his tweets and statements had given the impression that he was enjoying the cooperation of the police, over the allegations against Dogara and others.
The lawmaker, in his tweets and statements had given the impression that he was enjoying the cooperation of the police, over the allegations against Dogara and others.
But Abdulmumin, in the suit filed before
the Federal High Court in Abuja with No: FHC/ABJ/CS/595, said there was
a police siege on his home and that up till the time of filing the suit
on August 9, 2016, the siege was still in force.
The affidavit deposed on his behalf by
his legislative aide, Mr. Bashir Bello said this was “in a bid to arrest
him unlawfully and achieve their pre-determined aim of tampering with
his fundamental human rights.”
Abdulmumin, in the suit, accused the
police of plotting to “nab him and also put him out of circulation and
so as to lay their hands on the said documents and destroy the evidence
therein, and avoid a leakage of their roles in the budget issue.”
The embattled lawmaker, in a separate suit, also sued Dogara, the Clerk of the House and others, to restrain the lower chamber from suspending him.
The embattled lawmaker, in a separate suit, also sued Dogara, the Clerk of the House and others, to restrain the lower chamber from suspending him.
Others listed in the suit filed at the
Federal High Court Abuja on August 9, 2016, include the Lasun, Doguwa,
Ogor and the eight chairmen of standing committees.
The House is set to resume from its summer recess on September 13, 2016.
Abdulmumini in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/595, said Dogara and others had perfected plans to ensure his indefinite suspension from the House, after his petition to the EFCC, ICPC and the police.
The House is set to resume from its summer recess on September 13, 2016.
Abdulmumini in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/595, said Dogara and others had perfected plans to ensure his indefinite suspension from the House, after his petition to the EFCC, ICPC and the police.
“That if the reliefs of the Plaintiff
are not granted, the Plaintiff would be suspended as a member of the
House of Representatives and this would greatly prejudice him and
thousands of his constituents who rely on him to afford them their due
representation in the Federal legislature,” his affidavit read.
Sources however told THISDAY that
Abdulmumin’s fears may not be unconnected with alleged plans by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to revive and
re-arraign him over a N15 billion money laundering case in October 2011.
Abdulmumin and his firm, Green Forest
Investment Ltd, had been charged alongside a former Governor of Nasarawa
State, Aliyu Akwe Doma, for laundering stolen state funds totaling N15
billion. In Dec 2012, the EFCC removed his name from its amended
charges. THISDAY, however, could not get EFCC’s confirmation on plans to
re-arrange Abdulmumin on the money laundering charges. Efforts to also
reach Abdmumin by phone calls and text messages proved abortive, as his
phone repeatedly rang out unanswered.
The House has been embroiled in crises following the removal of the Abdulmumin by Dogara.
After his ouster, Abdulmumin, accused Dogara, Lasun, Doguwa and Ogor of allocating N40 billion to themselves out of the N100 billion appropriated for the National Assembly, and making “senseless’ insertions into the 2016 budget”.
After his ouster, Abdulmumin, accused Dogara, Lasun, Doguwa and Ogor of allocating N40 billion to themselves out of the N100 billion appropriated for the National Assembly, and making “senseless’ insertions into the 2016 budget”.
He also petitioned the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices
and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police,
demanding the arrest and prosecution of the speaker, three principal
officers, and 10 committee chairmen for corruption and abuse of office.
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