By Our Correspondent
The arrest and detention of Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, former Governor of Niger State by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) penultimate week is an act too highhanded, friends and associates of the embattled former Governor have noted.
In an open letter calling for justice, fairness and respect to the fundamental rights of the former Governor, his friends argued that the long incarceration of Dr. Babangida Aliyu in the cells of the anti graft agency without prosecution in a competent court of law is in breach of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the fundamental right of Dr. Babangida Aliyu as a person.
The open letter titled “why is the Talban Minna’s case different from others” and addressed to all Nigerians, the concerned friends under the flagship of Talba Youths Vanguard, raised several issues over the continuous detention of the former Governor within the facilities of the Commission for almost two weeks without trial.
The letter signed by the duo of Musa Madaki and Shehu Ibrahim for the body of friends of the former Governor, argued that if the Commission had previously released on bail a number of erstwhile state Governors over allegations of financial impropriety and other sundry acts, the continuous detention of Dr. Babangida Aliyu without trial smacks of suspicion of grand plot to denigrate his personality as rising profile and a cupid politician.
The concerned friends noted that while the anti graft Commission had sealed of the former Governor’s residence and landed properties in Minna, they were silent in informing the world if their sting operation at the properties of the former Governor had yielded anything of interest to the Commission weeks and days after it’s operatives stormed his house and farm for their searche.
They therefore wondered if Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu is the worst suspect the Commission had ever zeroed it’s searchlights on to warrant the selective maltreatment and incarceration he had been subjected to since the day he honoured an invitation to come to the Commission for a “chat”.
While urging the anti graft Commission to either release Dr. Babangida Aliyu on administrative bail or on self recognition as a patriotic Nigerian, or alternatively prosecute him before a competent court for trial as a suspect.
Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu who governed Niger state for eight years between May 29th, 2007 and May, 2015 was invited by the officials of the EFCC to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja, a stone throw distance away from his personal residence located at Aso Drive.
He honoured the invite but was remanded in the Commossion’s cell for further investigations after the initial “chat” with the operatives of the anti graft agency.
The friends of the embattled Governor said they were worried over the craft but tactless silence by the Commission on the arrest, detention and sealing off of Dr. Babangida Aliyu’s properties in Minna and the unveiled stigma on him, his family and friends.
In the letter which seeks to attract public sympathy over the plight of the former Governor, his friends cited the cases of some former state Governors who were once invited, detained or arrested but left off the hook after few hours or a day to go back to their homes.
The letter decried acts of impunity, abuse of the rule of law, executive highhandedness and political witch-hunt. It called for prompt release of all politically exposed persons in the detention of the anti graft agency just as it reminded the security outfit to play it’s roles within the box and stop being a huntingdog for anyone or group of persons in corridors of power.
