EFCC key investigator petitions IG over threat to life

He said since Zari was arrested by the EFCC on March 2017, he has been under intimidation and threat to life. Madaki, who raised the alarm in a petition through his counsel, M.A. Mahmud (SAN) said he is in danger because the businessman alleged that he was the brain behind his invitation and investigation by EFCC. But Zari through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome(SAN) said he was detained by the EFCC beyond the constitutionally guaranteed period. He said he had already sued the EFCC and Madaki with an application before the Court of Appeal. He said Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court had accused the EFCC of taking laws into its hands by sealing off his property without an order of a court. The January 15, 2018 petition of Madaki however reads in part: “Zari was arrested by the EFCC sometime in March 2017 for some alleged offences. However shortly after his release on bail by the EFCC, he accused our client(Madaki) as the whistleblower that reported him to the EFCC. “He openly vowed to some people that know Madaki that he would fight him by exposing him as a corrupt EFCC official. “ Zari fabricated various online publications against our client, alleging that our client owns various piece of land in Gunduma village of Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State worth about N10billion only and two houses in Abuja worth N650million only. “Following the publication of Alhaji Zari’s allegations against our client, the Chairman of EFCC constituted a team that investigated the allegations. “At the end of the investigation, the report cleared our client and two other operatives accused by Zari. However, Zari was not satisfied with the investigations which cleared our client. “Notwithstanding the outcome of the investigation, Zari went about accusing our client in the entire Gunduma Village and beyond. “At the behest of Zari, our client was arrested on the eve of Sallah at his house in Keffi by the Police from Nasarawa State Police Command and taken to Lafiya where he was later released the next day in the evening. Nonetheless, Zari was still not happy that our client was eventually released on bail by the Police. “He openly boasted to our client after his release on bail that he would eliminate him if he ( Zari) does not succeed in sending him to jail. “He even boasted to our client that he is very rich and has many jobless young men that he can use to ferment trouble in Gunduma and deal with our client. “Our client’s life is now seriously threatened by Alhaji Zari on the mere suspicion that our client is the brain behind his invitation and investigation by the EFCC. In view of this threat, we are appealing to your good self to look into this complaint with a view to directing an investigation of our allegations against Zari and averting the threat to our client’s life and possible breakdown of law and order in Gundulma Village. “In this regard, we will appreciate if the Inspector General will direct a special crack investigation team from Force Headquarters, Abuja for this matter. “At the moment, our client lives in constant fear of threat to his life as Zari boasted to him after his release on bail that he would eliminate him if he (Zari) does not succeed in sending him to jail. “He also boasted to our client that he has many jobless young men that he can use to ferment trouble in Gunduma and chase out any indigene that he considers-as a threat. “Sir, this is a clear case of “corruption fighting back” as our President and commander-in-chief once remarked. Our client is now being threatened by a person who is under investigation on the mere suspicion that our client is the brain behind his invitation and interrogation by the EFCC. “Therefore, we are appealing to your good self to look into this complaint and direct an investigation of our allegations against Zari with a view to prosecuting him and averting his apparent threats or possible elimination of our client’s life and the breakdown of law and order in Gunduma Village. “Sir, we will also appreciate that the investigation of this petition and any allegation by Zari be consolidated and carried out by the office of the Inspector General of Police”. But Zari through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome(SAN) said he was detained by the EFCC beyond the constitutionally guaranteed period. He said he only went to court for the enforcement of his Fundamental Human Rights. In an application before the Court of Appeal, Zari said a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Binta Nyako “found and held that the EFCC cannot seal a person’s property without order of court and that evidence shows they have done so, thus taking the laws into their hands. And this they are not permitted to do as they ought to operate only within the confines of the law. “Zari had already been detained beyond the constitutionally guaranteed period before the alleged bail was granted to him by the Respondents(EFCC and Madaki) and the trial court did not take the constitutional breach into consideration in her judgment. “The EFCC and Madaki acted in contravention of the law by sealing Zari’s business and residential premises. “Section 35 (6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria(1999) make provisions for compensation and public apology from the appropriate authority or person found to have acted illegally and unlawfully as has been done by EFCC and Madaki in this case.”]]>