A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, on Tuesday narrated how operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stormed his Lagos house.
Obanikoro, who described the operation as gestapo like, said the operatives harassed innocent kids, took away cars, wrist watches and other valuables from his Ikoyi, Lagos State home.
Speaking through his media aide, Jonathan Eze, Obanikoro said “unnecessary intimidation and harassment of occupants, who are majorly innocent kids, teenagers, his wife and daughter in-laws” was applied by the EFCC agents.
He said they left with cars, wristwatches and other valuables.
The former Minister said the invasion of his home by the EFCC operatives was shocking because he had never been invited by the anti-graft agency over any allegation “beyond the tirades and allegations they have been propagating using the media spaces”.
The statement by Eze added: “We are using this medium to draw attention of all Nigerians to yet another infringement on the fundamental and inalienable rights of the Obanikoro family.
“Lovers of freedom should not wait until our democracy is put at irreversible damage. The list of human rights violations and political persecution has reached an alarming rate.
“We see this as an affront and a further show of shame and ignominy of this present administration hell bent in politically persecuting its perceived opponents in other to stoop them and rubbish their hard earned reputation of untainted public services.
“To our chagrin, the vehicles driven away were cars and trucks bought since 2006 and thereabout when Senator Obanikoro served as an Ambassador in Ghana among others which obviously has no bearing with the purported investigation they are supposedly carrying out.
“We condemn in strong terms the brigandage and the idea of inflicting trauma on innocent dependants and violating their privacies without recourse to the rule of law.
“Senator Obanikoro has consulted with his lawyers and are prepared to meet them in court to stop this intrusions and persecution.”
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