The Nigeria Police Force has returned money in both local
and foreign currencies, including other documents seized from the Abuja
residence of Senator Danjuma Goje of Gombe state.
A source close to the former governor disclosed that the Police
returned the documents and money after it learnt that the information given to
it by a whistleblower was false.
"Nigerian police this morning returned everything they
took from senator Goje's house, including cash and documents relating to the
2017 budget. They claim the raid was based on a wrong information from a
whistleblower," said the source.
Recall that the National Assembly yesterday said Police took
away critical component of the 2017 budget during the raid on residence of the
chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Goje (APC, Gombe).
Operatives of the Nigerian Police last week Thursday stormed
the residence of Goje in Abuja. The two chambers of the National Assembly said
the 2017 budget, could not be passed without the critical component allegedly
taken away by the police.
Raising a point of order on the invasion of his house, Goje
said the police during the raid went away with his laptop and 18 files.
He said the police spent four hours in his house searched
all the rooms including his private office.
“While I was in National Assembly working on the budget, I
received distressed call from my house that the police have invaded my house.
They broke all my wardrobes, boxes and doors,” he said.
The former governor, who said the invasion has traumatized
and frightened his family, said it has negatively affected the 2017 budget
process.
“Up till this moment I have no official contact with the
police. So I don’t know why they invaded my house and I don’t know what they
are looking for and they have collected all my things like I told you the
money, the files, the laptop are with them.
“We will manage to pass this budget but don’t blame us if it
is further delayed because it’s not my fault again. It is not the fault of
National Assembly. The police are the one maybe hiding the budget now maybe
they are using the laptop and files to come out with the budget,” he said.
In his remarks, Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki said
the police blamed the invasion on wrong information by a whistle blower.
However, the police said cash sum of ₦18,056,000; cash sum
of $19,850 and another cash sum of SR9, 400 Saudi Riyal, including other
document were recovered from the house.
The Police spokesman CSP Jimoh Moshood in a statement on
Thursday said the search warrant executed on Senator Goje’s House has nothing
to do with the 2017 budget.
Moshood argued that reports in the media credited
to Senator Danjuma Abdullahi Goje captioned “Blame the Police if 2017 Budget is
not Ready Senator Goje” “REPS gives Police 24 hours to return budget documents
allegedly carted from Goje’s residence,” are false and misleading.
The report, Moshood said is capable of misinforming
Nigerians about the statutory roles and duties of the Nigeria Police Force as
provided under Sections 4 & 28 of Police Act and Regulations.
He said its powers includes prevention
and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, the preservation of law
and order, the protection of life and property and the due enforcement of all
laws and regulations, and authority to enter any house or premises to execute
search warrant.
He added that: “It is pertinent to set the record straight
and inform Nigerians of the facts of the matter. A search warrant
duly obtained from court of competent jurisdiction was professionally executed
in the house of Senator Danujma Goje on 20thApril, 2017 at No. 10 Haile Salasie
Street, Asokoro District Abuja.”
He explained that the search was subsequent upon
intelligence report at the disposal of the Force that large sum of money
suspected to be stolen public funds and other incriminating items are about to
be moved out of the said house.
Daily Trust
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