Abaribe’s alarm on 2018 budget landed him in trouble —Counsel

Counsel to the detained Senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), has said the senator’s recent outbursts on alleged illegal insertion of N30 billion into the budget of Ministry of Power without his committee’s knowledge was one of the issues that landed the senator in trouble.

Ume also alleged that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) who raided the lawmaker’s home on Friday seized phones belonging to some visiting Americans who they met in his residence.

The counsel, who addressed newsmen in Abuja on Saturday, claimed the operatives subjected Abaribe’s Abuja home to intense search for over six hours on Friday.

According to him, the operatives have also denied the Senator medications, access to his family and his personal physician.

He stated that the operatives showed him a warrant of arrest which showed that they were searching Abaribe’s home for links to the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) but added that they discovered nothing incriminating there.

He said that the Senator had been known to maintain robust views on national discourse, which he said made a number of persons uncomfortable.

“Yesterday [Friday] in the forenoon hours, our Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe, a high-ranking senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was arrested by officers of state security services. The articulate senator, who has contributed a lot to our nation building effort, is of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“His arrest was shocking as it was curious. As his counsel, I have long ago complied with SSS stipulation for meeting with its detainee. I have also requested for a meeting with the Director General of the services to know the reason for his arrest.

“All fell into refusal ears. At about 4;45pm I was alerted that officers of the services were heading to the senator’s residence. I had to break my long wait at the SSS H/Q and rushed to the senator’s residence.

“Primarily the search warrant dated 22nd June 2018 focused and searched for arms and ammunition and any other incriminating document, while the alleged crime was aiding and supporting a proscribed body, i.e. IPOB.

“The disparity and excruciating search of all corners and every item in the house lasted for about 5pm till 11:15 pm yesterday. Of all the 27 items seized and taken away, none could be all they wanted to see in terms of arms and ammunition or stored bags of Ghana-must-go for sponsoring the said IPOB.

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“But unfortunately, two of the 27 items include:

1. a) The two handsets of two USA citizens found in the home.
2. b) One of the laptops taken included that of an educationist containing examination questions slated to be set for students on the 25th of June 2018. All pleas for these questions to be copied was refused.”

Speaking further, Ume said: “We are worried at the turn of events; Nnamdi Kanu was to appear in court on October 2017, in September, his house was brutally shut down. Senator Abaribe, the surety to Nnamadi Kanu, is to appear in court on 26th June 2018, but on 22nd June 2018, Senator was arrested and detained incommunicado.

1. a) On 16th June 2017 via a letter to NSA, Senator Ike Ekeweremadu was levied a corrupt officer;
2. b) On 12th April 2018, Senator Shehu Sani was accused of aiding armed robbers
3. c) On 24th March 2018, Senator Dino Melaye was accused of aiding bandits
4. d) On 4th June 2018, Senator Bukola Saraki was accused of aiding armed robbers, who massacred his own people.
5. e) On 27th February 2017 /2nd march 2017 His Excellency, former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, was clamped down
6. f) On 22nd June 2018 it is Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe.

“These are certainly against the spirit of partisan politics very dear to our constitution and nation-building process. If in 2014/2015, opposition to PDP were muzzled like this, the advantage the nation gained by unseating a party in power would not have been possible. This man is a known strong voice of the Igbo nation.  Hence, this is a clamp down on a region.”

 

Call FG to order —IPOB

Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on the British government, which it referred to as the creator of Nigeria, to call the Nigerian government to order.

The group said the call was necessitated by the arrest of Senator Abaribe, insisting that the action was capable of causing disaffection in Nigeria.

A press release by Emma Powerful, Media and Publicity Secretary of the group stated that the arrest of Abaribe, on Friday, was unacceptable, and capable of igniting ethnic sentiment.

The release said: “As the uncontested and rightful owners of Nigeria,  which they single-handedly created, Britain must as a conscientious democracy and matter of urgency ask the Islamic Republic of Nigeria to release Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe without further delay.”