Nigerian govt out to ridicule, embarrass Saraki – Yemi Adebowale

Nigerian govt out to ridicule, embarrass Saraki – Yemi Adebowale

NEWS DIGEST – A popular columnist on Thisday newspapers, Yemi Adebowale has raised an alarm over what he described as Media trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

In his Saturday column titled “Ring True” published on Thisday newspapers, Mr. Yemi  wondered why the Nigerian Police has continued to hold press conferences to emphatically speak on the supposed confession of the arrested criminals.

“I am still struggling to understand why the Police have been holding press conferences to celebrate the alleged confession of the Offa robbery gang to sordid links to President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.

“These conferences are utterly unnecessary and a shameful celebration by the police. For me, the police are just out to ridicule the Senate President as part of the war to decimate him. The leadership of the police apparently wants to be seen helping the Executive in this war against Saraki,” he said.

He also said while the Nigerian Police has been helping the Presidency to victimize people towards 2019, according to Mr. Yemi, the government has only ended up in ridiculing itself.

“The truth be told; it is all about the 2019 Presidency. Unfortunately, the police have only succeeded in ridiculing itself and desecrating the entire country with its partisanship. In sane societies, discreet investigation would follow such confessions by criminals caught in the act; not media trial. This is why lucid societies don’t take us seriously. This Saraki media trial is thoughtless, insensitive and highly offensive. Decent people must all rise and speak up against shenanigans like this one”.

Mr. Yemi warned that the Nigerian Police victimization must stop, while global standards must be adhered to.

In his words: “The politicization of police investigations and summons must end. Nigerian police must learn to adhere to global standards in investigations and summons, so that we can exit the inglorious club of badly policed countries.

“It is so sad; in this part of the world, most of those in positions of authority seem to act under the influence of excessive codeine. The joint session of the National Assembly held on Tuesday to deliberate on shenanigans by heads of our security agencies and resolutions reached should challenge the Executive to have a volte-face and reinstruct heads of these vital federal agencies; they must stop playing politics with virtually everything. I concur with the NASS resolutions, particularly the caution to President Muhammadu Buhari to always adhere to the Rule of Law.”

Speaking further, the popular columnist opined that the Nigerian government is continually humiliating perceived opponents.

“I also agree that the “systematic harassment and humiliation by the Executive of perceived political opponents, people with contrary opinion, including legislators and judiciary, by the Police and other security agencies must stop” and that the President “must be held accountable for the actions of his appointees and must be ready to sanction those that carry out any act which will ridicule or endanger our country and democracy.”

Mr. Yemi wondered why the heads of security agencies would not rather put their energy to solve crisis that has led to death of many persons in the Country:

“For me, heads of our security agencies should channel the energy and resources being used to persecute perceived political opponents of the President towards tackling the killings across the country. I doubt if they are aware that in the early hours of Wednesday, killer herdsmen launched fresh attacks on Guma and Logo local government areas of Benue State, leading to the death of nine persons. These two local government areas have for months faced incessant attacks. Aside from the killing of innocent Nigerians, security agents are also being killed in hundreds by killer herdsmen and Boko Haram. These should burden our security chiefs.”

Mr Bukola Saraki was accused by the Nigerian Police of sponsoring criminals who robbed banks in Offa recently months ago, a claim he has described as false and baseless.