…says he has never seen the suspect
Olusola Bello
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami has again, denied any involvement in the controversial siege on the home of a Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics, the minister reiterated that he never gave any order for the siege to be carried out.
He also made further clarifications about a suspect – Lawrence Ajodo, who said he had worked previously with the AGF.
“I have never given him a single case and if I have given him 29 cases, let him show the evidence of the engagement,” Malami said, adding: “I have never seen this man on earth, God knows and I believe there are certain (not only) criminal undertones, perhaps maybe some other undertones, by people who think that by hook or by crook the AG must be a target of aggression one way or the other”.
According to Malami, the suspect is not under the pay record of the ministry and even if he was, he would not carry out operations that are outside the scope of the ministry.
“Government business is regulated through due processes and procedures. So, you cannot be seen to be operating as a department under the office of the Attorney General and then operating outside the scope and regulations of the law.
“So, you can see clearly, the man said he was asked by the Attorney General to carry out that task. Ask him, which of the Attorneys-General and on account of which formal engagement?
“There are 36 Attorneys General across the nation inclusive of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation. So, if he said he has been sent by the Attorney General, the next point is to ask him, who is the Attorney General”.
Justice Odili’s home was raided on October 29. But questions about who initiated the incident have remained unanswered.
Initially, there were reports that the EFCC had gone to execute a search warrant, as part of investigations into her husband, former Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili.
But the commission, through its Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, denied the allegation, saying “none of our operatives was there”.
This, then raised further questions as to who gave the orders for the said siege.
The AGF had earlier in a statement denied having any involvement.
Mr Ajodo’s case is that “of a drowning man scavenging for a dying partner,” a statement signed by a spokesperson in the office of the AGF, Umar Gwandu, had said.
The Police also noted that their investigations revealed that “there is no involvement at all” of the officials of the office of the AGF in the raid.
