The raid by the police on Senator Danjuma Goje’s residence recently, has generated ripples in the polity. EZREL TABIOWO reports the untold details of the raid
The anti-corruption crusade by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which severally has been plagued with allegations of witch-hunt by opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly, gravitated recently in the direction of former governors who are presently under the radar of security agencies and that of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Just weeks after the EFCC arrested and detained former governor of Niger state, Babangida Aliyu, over alleged N5bn scam, the fire turned the way of former governor of Gombe state and serving Senator representing Gombe Central, Danjuma Goje, sequel to an unannounced raid on his Asokoro residence in Abuja, recently.
His residence which is located at Haile Selassie Street was invaded by gun wielding security agents in Hilux vans and buses at about 5pm in the evening.
The raid which lasted over two hours had the security operatives carting away documents in files, as well as cash to the tune of N18 million, $19,000 and 4,000. Saudi Riyads.
Five days after the raid on his residence, Goje, who chairs the appropriations committee, informed the upper legislative chamber that details of the 2017 budget being worked on by the committee were missing and with the police, following the raid on his residence.
The Police, it was gathered, following its inability to find incriminating evidence against the lawmaker, was stopped short in its bid to present a report two days later after the raid as planned.
Unsatisfied with the silence of the police, Goje who drew the attention of his colleagues to the traumatizing ordeal suffered by members of his family as a result of the raid, sought the intervention of the upper chamber in the matter.
Sensing impending dangers which continued silence may spell on the reputation of the Police force, and his career in particular, the Inspector- General (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, immediately consulted with the presidency and sought its intervention.
Desperate to avoid an investigation into the matter by the Senate, and which obviously would require him to appear before its committee on police affairs, Idris, approached the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, for his assistance.
Enang, knowing what the consequences of investigation into the matter may portend for Idris’ short career as IGP, immediately tried to establish contact with the office of the Senate President to pacify frayed nerves.
But the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who was upset with the embarrassment, caused the upper chamber as a result of the raid on Goje’s house, refused Enang’s plea to grant the IGP Idris, an audience for reconciliation.
The IGP, who waited almost four hours in the office of Enang, was shunned by Senator Saraki, who staunchly refused to see him.
As an alternative, Saraki, in his bid to allow civility prevail, asked that the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, alongside some Senators, meet with the IGP.
Our correspondent gathered that the Senate President’s refusal to honour the IGP’s visit was due to Idris’s conduct with the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly, during the raid on Goje’s residence, which Saraki considered as outright disrespectful to the legislature.
Findings by Blueprint revealed that during the raid on Goje’s house, frantic efforts by Senator Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to contact the Inspector- General of Police were rebuffed, as he equally shunned them by refusing to take their calls.
It was further learnt that the Senate President, who made extra efforts to reach the IGP through the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Abu Ibrahim, were to no avail, as he still refused to have any form of communication with the leadership of the National Assembly.
Blueprint gathered that the development, which angered the Senate President, resulted in his decision to also rebuff efforts by the IGP to reach out to the National Assembly over the matter, following findings by the police that they had responded to false alert by the whistle-blower.
A source privy to the meeting between the IGP and the deputy senate president, told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that the police boss pleaded with Ekweremadu, to prevail on his colleagues so as to reach amicable resolution of the matter.
According to the source, Idris was concerned that the development could further overheat the polity and deal a damaging blow to the reputation of the police force under his watch.
He added that the IGP explained to Ekweremadu that sequel to the raid, investigations by the Police force showed that they were misled by the whistle-blower who gave false information.
Drawing the attention of the upper chamber to the raid on his residence, Goje, who came under a point of order, while narrating his family’s ordeal in the hands of the police, told the senate that the raid left his committee stranded as they had no details to work with so as to round up work on the 2017 budget for presentation and possible passage this week.
Apologizing to Nigerians for the development, he said the interference by the police would have gross effect that may see to the late passage of the budget by the National Assembly.
He said: “The police left me and members of my family frightened and traumatised. And what were their findings? The total money collected in the house. They got N18 million, $19,000, and 4,000 Saudi Riyads. In addition, they also took my laptop, and to make matters worse, they took eighteen files from my office.
Some of these files have to do with the work I’m doing, so the appropriations committee is unable to hold meeting because the documents are not available. This has traumatized even members of the committee.
“So, I want to apologize to all concerned that we were unable to lay the budget yesterday (Tuesday), so as to enable us pass it today (yesterday). It is not our own fault, it is the fault of the police. The police interfered with the whole budget process, and I hope Nigerians will not turn around to blackmail the National Assembly, because the process was truncated by the police.
“Since last week till now, I have no official contact with the police. I don’t know why they invaded the house, or what they were looking for. We would have managed to pass the budget but don’t blame us (NASS) if it is further delayed. The laptop and files have all the information we need to finish work on the budget and present it to the senate. So, the police are the ones handling the budget now. I want to apologize to Nigerians because we planned to have the budget passed today (yesterday), so as to enable us send this week to the President for assent, but the process was truncated by the police”, Goje added.
Saraki, who presided over the day’s plenary, while commenting on the matter said, “This matter is a very serious matter. As senator Goje said, it is over five days now, and there is no comment or statement from the police to tell us why this raid was done, or to tell us where these files which are very important to the appropriations process are”.
“Also, what I learnt was that the whistle blower gave them wrong information, and I wonder why didn’t they check properly before carrying out the raid, Saraki queried.
An Adhoc committee was then and there constituted by the Senate President to investigate the raid on Goje’s house by the police.
The committee headed by Senator Jibrin Barau, has Senators Hamman Misau, Chukwuka Utazi, Foster Ogola, and David Umaru, as members.
But barely hours after the constitution of the Ahoc committeee by the Senate, the Presidency, through the Senior Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), immediately waded into the saga be ensuring a peaceful resolution of the matter.
Enang, it was learnt, was able to sway the deputy senate president and his colleagues to allow sleeping dogs lie by burying the hatchet, after which an agreement was reached for all monies and documents carted away by the police to be returned to Goje.
Enang, in a press statement issued and titled: “Resolution of issues Re: Nigeria Police Force and Senator Danjuma Goje”, said the Presidency intervened by reaching out to both parties involved, and resorted to dialogue as way of reaching positive resolution on the matter.
According to the statement, all items taken from Goje’s residence during the raid have been returned to the lawmaker by the police penultimate Wednesday.
The statement read: “Further to the visit of the Nigeria Police Force to the residence of his Excellency, Senator Danjuma Goje, CON in the course. Of routine duties wherefrom certain items were taken by the Police, and issues subsequently arising, I am to inform all that all the items taken in the course of routine police duties have been returned to the Distinguished Senator at his house by the Nigeria Police.
“Further, to state that all other issues relating to the subject matter are being addressed with a view to positive resolution.
“Meanwhile, we sincerely appreciate the Senate and the House of Representatives for the enormous work that they have put in to ensure timely passage of the 2017 Appropriation Bill.”
What remains unclear is whether or not the Senate will pursue further investigation into the matter in view of the Adhoc committee already constituted by the senate president.
Should the upper chamber proceed to investigate the incident regardless of the resolution reached? Only time would tell.
