The Middle Belt Youth Coalition (MBYC) on Sunday rose in defence of Senate President and chairman of National Assembly, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki over his ordeal at the hands of the police in relation to the Offa robbery incident.
The defence of Saraki by the coalition is coming on heels of prayers and solidarity rallies in support of the two-time former governor of the state by Kwara women and students groups including leading personalities in Offa where the incident took place.
The National Coordinator of MBYC, Abbah Emmanuel at a media conference held in Abuja, accused the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, of deliberate attack on the person of Saraki and the entire National Assembly.
According to Emmanuel, the move by police was a total frame up targeted at tarnishing Sarakiโs image and political career adding that the unwholesome state of affairs between the executive and legislature has now escalated to an unacceptable level.
He said it was surprising that the IGP who refused to appear before the senate to explain the incessant killings across the country, has since then carried out a campaign to use the police brute force to deal with Senators.
โTo make matters worse, the government rather than caution the IGP, embarked on withdrawing the security aides of the presiding officers. This is designed to make them even more vulnerable. The latest venture will only serve to overheat the polity and destroy our hard earned democracy. If it continues unchecked, Nigeria will descend into anarchy. We therefore urge you to take immediate steps to caution this government from continuing along this unholy lineโ, the statement added.
ย
…as Kwara women organise prayer over ordeal
A special prayer was on Tuesday organised in Ilorin, by Kwara women asking Allah to grant the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, victory in his present travails in the hands of the Nigeria Police.
The women recited verses from the Holy Qurโan and prayed fervently for the protection of the former governor of the state, whom they described as their benefactor.
Addressing journalists during the prayer session in Ilorin, the All Progressives Congress Women Leader in the state, Hajia Ramat Oganija, said they resorted to prayer because they were convinced that Saraki, who was reportedly being implicated in the recent Offa banks robbery incident, โcannot hurt a fly.โ
She said Saraki had encouraged entrepreneurship by empowering women and youths in the state to be economically self-reliant.
Oganija said the news of โthe invitation of our leader and benefactor, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki by the police over the recent Offa robbery attacks came to us a rude shock.
โWe were and are still shocked by the development because over the years, we have known our leader, Saraki, as a compassionate and kind-hearted man who could not hurt a fly. Our leader abhors violence in all its ramifications.โ
She added: โJust like every right thinking individuals, we the women of Kwara State see the police latest action as nothing but a fresh plot by the headquarters of the Nigeria Police to implicate him in the April 5, 2018, armed robbery attacks on banks in Offa.
โNigerians from all walks of life have blamed the wanton killings of harmless citizens in Offa on that โblack dayโ on the inefficiency of men and officers of the Nigeria Police.
โItโs instructive to note that this latest ploy to frame Saraki came after an earlier failed attempt by the Force Headquarters to frame our leader in a murder case involving some suspected cultists.
โIt is on record that Saraki, because of his love for the people of Offa, was the first public officer to visit the town after the robbery incident to commiserate with Olofa and the people of the town over the unfortunate incident.
โWe are also pleased that both the Senate president and our amiable state Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, had dissociated themselves from the armed robbery suspects.
โWe are using this forum to call on stakeholders in the Nigeriaโs affairs to prevail on President Muhammad Buhari to call the Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, to order.
โThis becomes necessary in view of the fact that the suspected gang leader had during an interview with journalists in Abuja confessed that โone dismissed police officer, Michael Adikwu, was the one who brought ammunition, and as well, exonerated Saraki and Ahmed from the incident.โ
