Allow law enforcement agencies do their job – Presidency
The Presidency has said people giving President Muhammadu Buhari bad names each time high profile people are invited by law enforcement agencies over cases they are allegedly involved in should stop.
It said in a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Tuesday, that the law enforcement agencies should be left alone to do their job.
It said, “The Presidency has taken note of the orchestrated campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari each time a Very Important Person (VIP) is invited by the law enforcement agencies, in the discharge of their legitimate duties and functions.”
Insisting that the law of the land is intended for all, not for the poor or those at the lowest rungs of the social ladder, the Presidency frowned at situation where such orchestrators of those campaigns feel good only when ordinary citizens are involved but resort to insults and provocative utterances when very important personalities (VIPs) are called upon to answer questions or to be interrogated.
“It is odd, strange and bizarre that while ordinary citizens can be called up to answer questions or be interrogated, the VIP cannot be questioned without the annoying insinuations of partisanship, persecution or outright politicization.
“This country cannot achieve development in peace when important cases are viewed through a political prism and the law is considered as being applicable to some, and not applicable to others.
“The workings of law enforcement agencies are set out in the constitution and the laws of the country. If they worked at the discretion of past presidents, who decided who to question and who to detain, Nigerians should get used to the fact that this President is different. President Buhari does not and will not influence or interfere with cases.
“The constitution clearly directs law enforcement agencies to promptly report and investigate any actual or potential infringement of the law and also initiate proceedings against all those involved.
“This President is not the one who directs them on what to do.
“President Buhari does not stand in the way of law enforcement either. Under our constitution, he has no powers to stop the investigation of anyone or institution. When they are set to investigate anything and anyone, the best friend of the law is the one who lets them do their work.
“The President’s constant refrain is that he will not tolerate any form of illegality including corruption and the law enforcement agencies have been given complete freedom to identify and bring all culprits to justice. His instructions to them are very clear: Anyone with a case to answer or found guilty should not be spared.
“Accused persons should approach the courts to plead their innocence rather than going to the public to plead persecution.
“The country is better served when the law enforcement agencies are allowed to do their work and we must stop the actors of this dangerous game of politicizing law enforcement,” the Presidency said.
The Presidency’s expressed concerns came on the heels of controversy generated by Police invitation of Senate President Bukola Saraki over the Offa robbery case.
More disappointing, watchers of events have said, was when not only some Senators because Saraki was being asked by law to give some explanations regarding same crime he had also been mentioned by the arrested suspects as their sponsors, the particular Senators defected from the APC in a letter read by him and went further to suspend sitting in solidarity with the Senate President.
