#TrackNigeria Ebonyi Government has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police (I-G) Abubakar Adamu, over the invasion of Gov. David Umahi’s Abuja residence by suspected police officers.
Mr Cletus Ofoke, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, told newsmen on Thursday that the state Executive Council (EXCO) met and seriously condemned the act.
Ofoke said the invasion on Sept. 2 was an act of cowardice and came 24 hours after the South-East Governors Forum, which Umahi headed banned herders from moving around with AK 47 guns and machetes in the zone.
“We urge President Buhari to order a full scale investigation into this dastardly act to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
“We also urge the I-G and other security agencies to immediately commence investigation into the act and come up with a position guaranteeing the governor’s safety in Abuja and any part of the world,” he said.
The attorney general said the government was alerting the international community of the obvious attempt to circumvent the rule of law and freedom of expression in Nigeria.
“This is exemplified by such action on a ‘sitting’ governor who enjoys immunity as it is barbaric and undemocratic.
“It is a reckless act which is against the law and portrays the notion that Nigeria has little or no respect for the rule of law,” he said.
He noted that government viewed that the perpetrators had the singular mission of planting incriminating evidence in the property toward framing ‘propped’ charges against the governor.
“The aim is to intimidate the governor and his colleagues in the forum and prevent them from discharging their mandate of speaking boldly on behalf of the south-east, especially on security in the zone.
“We charge security agencies to have recourse to the constitution of Nigeria and other laws in carrying out their actions as the constitution and laws are sacrosanct and supreme.
“We, however, urge the governor not to be deterred by such antics but go ahead to discharge his constitutional duties, especially protecting peoples’ lives and property. (NAN)