Stern-Looking Police Officers Invade House of Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu

Posted by Thandiubani on Sat 27th May, 2017 - tori.ng

Men of the Nigerian police have raided the house of Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in what many have referred to as political witch-hunting.

Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu has confirmed that his official guest house was raided yesterday morning by men of the Nigeria Police Force, according to a report by The Nation.

This was revealed in a statement issued last night by Ekweremadu’s Special Adviser (Media), Mr. Uche Anichukwu, who lamented that the police, who were from the Special Squad of the Inspector General, searched the guest house located at No. 10 Ganges Street, Maitama, Abuja, without attempting to contact the DSP or any of his aides.

The statement however emphasized that nothing was found in yesterday’s search. Ekweremadu had a few weeks ago raised alarm that security agencies were plotting to conduct a search on a property linked to him, and plant incriminating materials.

Ekweremadu condemned what he described as orchestrated political witch hunt of perceived political opponents, using the security agencies.

The statement reads in full:

“At about 8am on Friday, May 26, 2017, men of the Nigeria Police Force from the Inspector General of Police Special Squad raided the official guest house of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, located at No. 10 Ganges Street, Maitama, Abuja. The police, however, stated at the end of the search that nothing incriminating was found.”

“They met the steward, Oliver Ogenyi, and some of Ekweremadu’s staff and their children in the house. In spite of the fact that they were informed that the property is the guest house of the Deputy President of the Senate, they nevertheless proceeded to thoroughly search the house without establishing any contact with the Deputy President of the Senate or any of his senior staff. The steward was taken away by the police to the Special Anti-Robbery (SARS) Office, Garki, Abuja, where the IG’s Special Squad office is also located. Ogenyi was later released after making a statement.”

“The Deputy President of the Senate is a law-abiding citizen and does not dispute the fact that the security agencies are empowered by law to carry out searches on premises in accordance with the law. However, the law requires that the owner of the property or his representative must be informed and should be present during the search.”

But the was the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Moshood Jimoh has denied the statement by Ekweremadu saying that no raid was carried out by his men.