Suspected Boko sponsors still in custody – AGF
Modupe Shodeinde
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Malam Abubakar Malami has clarified that all the suspected Boko Haram sponsors apprehended so far are still in custody of the federal government on valid court order.
In a statement by Malami’s Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, the AGF refuted a media report that some of the suspects have been released upon receipt of an order from the AGF’s office.
The Minister clarified that none of the suspects has been released by government or any court so far since they were hauled into detention upon reasonable suspicion.
He stated that, “None of the suspected financiers in respect of whom remand orders were procured by the federal government was at any time ordered or facilitated to be released by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
“The report on the alleged release of 300 suspects by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is a malicious misrepresentation of facts relating to the ongoing investigation of terrorism financing suspects in Nigeria.”
The statement noted that the report is contradictory because where a matter is submitted to a court of law, any subsequent action can only be taken through the judicial process.
“The question then arising from the claim is this: When was an application filed in court by the office of the Attorney General by which the release of the purported suspects was procured?
“It amounts to approbation and reprobation for the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to, in one breath, obtain an order seeking for continued detention of the alleged financiers of Boko Haram and at the same time having them released.” the statement read.
The AGF also demanded to know “by which communication or correspondence or application was their release procured since the matter is already pending before the court of law, and they were taken to custody on account of court order.
“It does not add up for the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to procure the release of someone that has been in custody on account of court order without approaching the court.
“The public, in essence, are entitled to know which application was it that was subsequently filed to procure the release of the financiers.
“When was the application filed, before which court was it taken and which lawyer is it that has taken the application and where is the court order on which account the release was effected?
“We are also amazed that an allegation of bribe taking is made. The public is entitled to know who the originator of the bribery was and who facilitated the giving of bribe?
“Who accepted or collected the bribe on behalf of the Attorney General? Who were the vendors and facilitators? “
