Budget Padding: Jibrin Seeks Court Protection From Arrest, Suspension
BEVERLY HILLS, AUGUST 13, (THEWILL) – Former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Rep Abdulmumin Jibrin, who made budget-padding allegations against Speaker Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers, has approached an Abuja Federal High Court seeking an order to restrain the Nigeria Police from arresting or questioning him over allegations bordering on claims of his complicity in the matter.
The respondents in the suit are the Nigeria Police, the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, FCT, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Hon. Yusuf Lasun, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Hon. Leo Ogor and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
The lawmaker had, in his tweets and press statements claimed to be on the moral high ground, given the impression that he was enjoying the cooperation of the police, over the allegations against Dogara and others.
But in a move that suggests the hunter being hunted, Jibrin filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja with No: FHC/ABJ/CS/595, disclosing that there was a police siege on his home and that up till the time of filing the suit on August 9, 2016, the siege was still in force.
The affidavit deposed on his behalf by his legislative aide, Mr. Bashir Bello said this was “in a bid to arrest him unlawfully and achieve their pre-determined aim of tampering with his fundamental human rights.”
The lawmaker, in the suit accused the police of plotting to “nab him and also put him out of circulation and so as to lay their hands on the said documents and destroy the evidence therein, and avoid a leakage of their roles in the budget issue.”
The embattled lawmaker, in a separate suit, also sued Dogara, the Clerk of the House and others, to restrain the lower chamber from suspending him.
Others listed in the suit filed at the Federal High Court Abuja on August 9, 2016, include the Lasun, Doguwa, Ogor and the eight chairmen of standing committees.
The House is set to resume from its summer recess on September 13, 2016.
Jibrin, in the suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/595, said Dogara and others had perfected plans to ensure his indefinite suspension from the House, after his petition to the EFCC, ICPC and the police.
“That if the reliefs of the Plaintiff are not granted, the Plaintiff would be suspended as a member of the House of Representatives and this would greatly prejudice him and thousands of his constituents who rely on him to afford them their due representation in the Federal legislature,” his affidavit read.