It took the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari for the police to release the cash and documents taken away from the residence of Senator Danjuma Goje, The Eagle Online has gathered.
Sources told The Eagle Online that Buhari intervened after the Leader of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, met with him on the issue on Thursday.
As at the wee hours of Thursday, the police in a statement by its spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, insisted that the raid on Goje’s house was in order.
The statement, earlier published by The Eagle Online, said there was nothing taken away from the house that was related to the 2017 Budget as claimed by the senator during plenary on Wednesday.
However, by midday on Thursday, the police returned all the cash and documents to Goje.
Sources told The Eagle Online that this followed the intervention of the President after his meeting with Lawan.
The source said: “But for the President, there will still be a stand-off any now.
“His position remains that the police, having perused all the documents, can release it to the senator in order to fast track the passage of the budget.”
In a statement that appeared to confirm the position of The Eagle Online sources, the Senior Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, said he had to wade into the saga involving the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and Goje, who is the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Enang, in a press statement titled: “Resolution of issues Re: Nigeria Police Force and Senator Danjuma Goje,” said the Presidency intervened by reaching out to both parties involved and resorted to dialogue as way of reaching positive resolution on the matter.
According to Enang, all items taken from the residence of Senator Goje during the course of the raid on the latter’s residence last week have been returned to the lawmaker.
The statement reads: “Further to the visit of the Nigeria Police Force to the residence of his Excellency, Senator Danjuma Goje, CON in the course. Of routine duties wherefrom certain items were taken by the Police, and issues subsequently arising, I am to inform all that all the items taken in the course of routine police duties have been returned to the Distinguished Senator at his house by the Nigeria Police.
“Further, to state that all other issues relating to the subject matter are being addressed with a view to positive resolution.
“Meanwhile, we sincerely appreciate the Senate and the House of Representatives for the enormous work that they have put in to ensure timely passage of the 2017 Appropriation Bill.”
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