EFCC under attack over arrest of Jonathan’s nephew
– Family of the Azibaola Robert, a nephew and close confidant to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan slam EFCC
– They believe their son hasn’t breached any law
– Robert’s brother urges the EFCC to grant his brother bail
The arrest of Azibaola Robert, the managing director of Kakatar engineering and construction on March 23, has been greeted with extreme repugnance from his family.
“We arrested Azibaola Robert on March 23 when he came to honour our invitation. We also arrested his wife, but she has since been granted bail. The following day, we arrested Dakoru Atukpa, Executive Director of his company. As we speak, both men are in our custody and are helping with vital information needed to nail the former president. They were arrested in connection to the on-going investigations into $40million oil pipeline security contract,”an EFCC official had said last week.
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Robert’s arrest is also a clear indication that “we are inching close to making former president Jonathan our guest,” the EFCC official added, describing him (Robert) as the closest kinsman of the former president.
But according to Azibaola’s brother, who chose to remain anonymous, the EFCC official’s remark confirms his assertion that his brother has not breached any laws. He added that his brother’s company, formally Mangroovtech, now Kakatar CE Limited got its contracts through competitive bid processes and nothing more.
He said he hopes his brother is not being persecuted because of his relationship with the former president.
He then urged the EFCC to grant his brother bail, releasing him immediately. He also called for the release of the executive director of the firm or charge them to court of competent jurisdiction. In the moment, he also asks for the immediate access of family members, lawyers and the medical attention they may require.
The arrest of Azibaola Robert, nephew to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan on March 23 has been greeted with extreme repugnance from his family
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He added that the constitution and laws that protect the rights of his brother and Dakoru Atukpa, the executive Director of his company, Oneplus Holdings, upon arrest are being disregarded as they are being held incommunicado for weeks without trial, while members of their immediate family are threatened to remain silent.
He said: “The EFCC in their resolve to arrest the former president at all cost, are making sure that the evidence against him is extremely strong and apparent to the world before they invite him. In their desperation the EFCC had particularly targeted and victimised close associates and kinsmen of former president Goodluck Jonathan with the latest victim being Barrister Azibaola Robert, who is the former president’s nephew and is likely his closest confidant.”
Azibaola Robert is a foremost entrepreneur from the Niger Delta with vast business in the area of construction and engineering. His present EFCC ordeal may have no relationship with these alleged contracts but may be connected to a transaction at the former NSA office, which had two of his companies Kakatar and Oneplus Holdings mentioned amongst 300 other companies and individuals across the country by the NSA contracts verification committee.
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