Following the visit of the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, prominent Roman Catholic cleric, Bishop Matthew Kukah, the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party,
and other dignitaries to Femi Fani-Kayode, Reuben Abati, Musiliu
Obanikoro, and Bala Mohammed who are being illegally detained by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, more dignitaries
continue to visit to detention facility in Abuja to show support for the
high profile detainees.
Sources in the commission who pleaded
anonymity, have informed our report that on Thursday, November 3, 2016,
Jeremiah Useni, a former minister of Federal Capital Territory, Abubakar
Mohammed, a former minister of culture, Ambassador Iliya Damagua,
Halliru Ilea, a former presidential candidate, Salisu Ningi, a member
House of Representatives, Aremo Adekunle Alao, and Chief Babatunde
Ajala, both PDP leaders from Osun State paid a solidarity visit the
quartet.
Also, a delegation of leaders of the
Middle Belt Forum visit the EFCC facility to commune with Chief
Fani-Kayode, Dr. Abati, Senator Obanikoro, and Senator Mohammed. The
delegation was made of up of John Dara, national secretary, Jonathan
Asake, the national youth leader, Emmanuel Alamu from Niger State, and
Larry Yusuf Yammai from Kaduna State.
According to our sources, the
dignitaries all arrived almost at the same time of about 4:30pm. They
met with the four high profile detainees, encouraged them, and prayed
with them. “They also expressed profound joy at the fact that the four
of them looked very well and have remained strong,” a source told our
reporter.
“The four leaders in turn thanked them
all for coming and asked them to let the world know that they are very
well and will soon be vindicated,” another said.
All the three detainees are being held in contravention of the Nigerian constitution that stipulates that detainees should be charged to court or released from detention within 48 hours. Neither Abati or Obanikoro have been charged to court since their arrest a week ago and three weeks ago, respectively.
Fani-Kayode, a vibrant critic of the Muhammadu Buhari government, was re-arrested two weeks ago when he appeared in court over a matter filed by the EFCC. A day after he was arrested, he slumped in custody leading to fears for his safety.
No new charges have been filed against
him and his detention has been labelled a political witch-hunt by the
opposition party and political activists.
Meanwhile, the EFCC continues to sponsor
stories in APC leaning news platforms supplying innuendo intended to
cast the detainees as corrupt without providing actual evidence of the
allegations.
One of such APC mouthpieces, Premium Times reported this
week that Fani-Kayode would be arraigned for allegedly, receiving N26
million from embattled former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki on
November 10, if granted bail at the court hearing, the EFCC would promptly re-arrest him
for allegedly receiving another N22 million. This report confirms that
agents of the state are now promoting a dangerous partisan agenda.
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