FLASH| ANOTHER KINSMAN OF GOODLUCK JONATHAN ARRESTED

DASUKIGATE: IN A DESPERATE SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE TO ARREST DR. GOODLUCK JONATHAN, ANOTHER KINSMAN OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS ARRESTED BY THE EFCC.

Operatives of Economic and Financial Crime Commission EFCC have arrested Barr. Azibaola Robert the Managing Director of Kakatar Engineering limited. Barrister Azibaola was arrested along with his wife and executive director, projects, of his firm as he honoured an invitation by the commission on Wednesday the 17th March 2016 by officers who did not say why they were arresting him, as he was immediately taken to detention and had been held there for nearly two weeks now and still counting without formal charges. He has also been denied bail and access to legal counsel.

It is speculated that Azibaola Robert’s arrest is a frantic exercise in the renewed efforts by the EFCC to arrest former president Goodluck Jonathan following statements by Femi Adesina, the special adviser to President Buhari on media and publicity, who revealed some of the plans of the presidency when he disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari will not spare Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in the fight against corruption.  He would face justice if guilty he said in finality.

This statement by the spokesman may have been translated as an unofficial directive for the arrest of the former president as it has given the EFCC a renewed vigour to round up people related to and dealing with the former President following months of unproductive investigations into alleged financial irregularities linked to the former National Security Adviser.

The EFCC in their resolve to arrest the former president at all cost, are making sure that the evidence against him is extremely strong and apparent to the world before they invite him.  In their desperation the EFCC had particularly targeted and victimised close associates and kinsmen of former president Goodluck Jonathan with the latest victim being Barrister Azibaola Robert, who is the former president’s nephew and is likely his closest confidant.

On Monday, 9th February 2016, operatives of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) raided the Maitama residence of His Majesty King Turner another kinsman of the former president and carted away some documents, including insignificant amount of dollars, pound sterling, naira and rupees. Although the DSS is yet to disclose why the raid happened while the first-class king was away in Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, it may not be unconnected with his closeness with Goodluck Jonathan as is the case of Barr Azibaola Robert.

Azibaola’s brother who confirmed the detention insisted that his brother has not breached any laws and his company, formally Mangroovtech, now kakatar CE Limited got its contracts through competitive bid processes and nothing more. He said he hopes his brother is not being persecuted because of his relationship with the former president.

He then urged the EFCC to grant his brother bail and immediate release of his brother and the executive director of the firm or charge them to court of competent jurisdiction. In the moment he also asks for the immediate access of family members, lawyers and the medical attention they may require.

He added that the constitution and laws that protect the rights of his brother and Mr Dakoru Atukpa, Executive Director of his company, Oneplus Holdings, upon arrest are being disregarded as they are being held incommunicado for weeks without trial, while members of their immediate family are threatened to remain silent.

Azibaola Robert is a foremost entrepreneur from the Niger Delta with vast business in the area of construction and engineering. It appears that his present EFCC ordeal has no relationship with these contracts but a transaction at the former NSA office which had two of his companies Kakatar and Oneplus Holdings mentioned amongst 300 other companies and individuals across the country by the NSA contracts verification committee.