“I Did Not Steal Govt Funds, I Built My Mansion With My Personal Money” – Saraki Tells EFCC

A former Senate President, Bukola Saraki has raised an alarm that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a fresh process in the Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking an interim order for the forfeiture of his home in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Saraki, in a statement by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, reveals that the anti-graft commission filed the process on Wednesday, November 27, 2019.

However, Saraki described the fresh move by the EFCC as a violation of an existing court order, explaining that a federal high court in Abuja had restrained the anti-graft agency from seizing his properties.

The former senate president said the application for forfeiture of this property amounts to witch-hunt, abuse of power and miscarriage of justice because the Ilorin home was built after he left office as Governor and came about through his lawful pensions and personal fund. The statement reads:

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’

“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.”