Coalition of Civil Society Group, CCSG has described the continued detention of former Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Engr Andrew Yakubu as unlawful and a plot to defame him by his political opponents who see him as a strong contender in the 2019 gubernatorial election in Kaduna State.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the Secretary General, Comrade Usman Mohammed and the Public Relations Officer, Comrade AkinjoBabatope insisted that Yakubu’s incarceration was politically motivated.
On the money found in his custody, the group said as individual like Yakubu who rose through the rank in NNPC could acquire such amount of money.
“Without discrediting the effort of the commission in recovering the stolen funds from those who have looted public funds, we must state unequivocally that the action of the commission on this particular one is despicable.
“Detaining someone who voluntarily reported at the EFCC Kano zonal office for about three weeks is a breach of the rule of law and rights”, Mohammed stressed.
According to him, Yakubu abandoned critical medical checkup in the United Kingdom to honour the invitation, saying such individual deserve better treatment instead of incarnation.
He added that total disregard to the former NNPC boss’ fundamental human rights has guaranteed by Sections 34, 35, 37 and 41 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended was unacceptable.
Mohammed therefore urged the EFCC not to allow itself to be used by politicians or the opponents of EngrYakubu on the matter.
He also enjoined the prosecutor to move the case from High Court in Kano to Abuja, saying that the Kano court had no jurisdiction to hear the case.
The group added that the negative publicity orchestrated against him by his enemies was to instigate the general public against him, and to stigmatise the members of his family without the opportunity for fair hearing and in grave disrespect of his person.
“We also observed the unlawful detention and humiliation as a ploy to defame him by his political opponents who sees him as a strong contender in the 2019 gubernatorial elections in Kaduna state. We urge EFCC not to allow itself to be used by politicians or the opponents of EngrYakubu.
“His detention and media trial amounts to an infringement on his fundamental human rights, as such we call for his immediate release.
“Section 45 of the Federal High Court Act does not give the High Court in Kano the powers to hear the case, to this extent the hearing is inconsequential. To avoid waste of time and other valuable resources, the case should be transferred to Abuja that have the jurisdiction.
“We call on the EFCC to follow due process on the matter while the general public should also not see it as personal to the defendant, knowing fully well that he worked for his earnings and have not helped himself with public fund, except when proven guilty by a Court of competent jurisdiction”, the group argued.
