LAGOS – A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has described as an affront and a shame the manner in which operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, invaded his Lagos home on Tuesday.
He said they harassed his wife, innocent children and carted away his cars, wrist watches and other valuables.
Obanikoro, who spoke through his Media Aide, Jonathan Eze, condemned the idea of inflicting trauma on innocent dependants and violating their privacies without recourse to the rule of law.
Eze said his Principal had never been invited for questioning by the EFCC, saying “We are using this medium to draw attention of all Nigerians to yet another infringement on the fundamental and inalienable rights of the Obanikoro family.
“Lovers of freedom should not wait until our democracy is put at irreversible damage. The list of human rights violations and political persecution has reached an alarming rate.
“We see this as an affront and a further show of shame and ignominy of this present administration hell bent in politically persecuting its perceived opponents in other to stoop them and rubbish their hard earned reputation of untainted public services.
“To our chagrin, the vehicles driven away were cars and trucks bought since 2006 and thereabout when Senator Obanikoro served as an Ambassador in Ghana among others which obviously have no bearing with the purported investigation they are supposedly carrying out.
“We condemn in strong terms the brigandage and the idea of inflicting trauma on innocent dependants and violating their privacies without recourse to the rule of law.
“Senator Obanikoro has consulted with his lawyers and are prepared to meet them in court to stop this intrusions and persecution.”
Obanikoro is alleged to have received huge sum from the Jonathan administration to finance Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and he is also fingered as one of the beneficiaries of arms money superintended by the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) but diverted for political purposes.
