A former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, on Friday said he would not be intimidated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s siege on his residence to abandon former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
The former NSA is facing charges of unlawful possession of firearms and alleged retention of funds, contrary to Section 15 (2)(d) of Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.
The former governor had accompanied Mr. Dasuki to court on at least two occasions.
PREMIUM TIMES reported on Thursday that as early as 6am on Thursday, operatives of the anti-graft commission, supported by armed mobile policemen, laid siege on Mr. Bafarawa’s house.
A credible source at the anti-graft commission, who pleaded anonymity confirmed the raid, saying “it was a botched attempt to arrest Bafarawa”.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Mr. Bafarawa was away in the United States on vacation.
Mr. Bafarawa and 15 others, mostly his aides while he was a governor, are facing trial for alleged misappropriation of public funds totalling N15 billion.
But in a statement issued Friday by Mr. Bafarawa’s spokesman, Yusuf Dingyadi, the former governor described the siege as “political intimidation and persecution” because of his political choice and association.
He said it was ironical that those saddled with the responsibility of providing protection to citizens had become tool of destruction and abuse of rule of law.
Mr. Bafarawa said the Nigerian security ought to be in the vanguard of ensuring security and liberty of a citizen, but not to intimidate or harass the citizen.
While attributing the siege on his residence to his association with the former NSA, Mr. Bafarawa said he would not abandon Mr. Dasuki because their party was no longer in power.
Mr. Bafarawa, a chieftain of the opposition PDP, also said he suffered a similar trial when he supported President Muhammadu Buhari in 2007, saying he was once bundled out of a meeting in Abuja and taken to a prison in Sokoto.
He said for over eight years of standing trial at Sokoto High Court over alleged corrupt practices, the EFCC could not establish a case against him.
The former governor, therefore, said he would be ready to appear before the EFCC at anytime the commission summons him.