By Our Reporter
Issues sorrounding invasion of the residence of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili took another twist on Thursday when the prime suspect and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, traded words.
The prime suspect, Ajodo Lawrence, who was short of saying he and his cohorts were deployed by the AGF, nonetheless, said he was a consultant to Malami.
Ajodo, who claimed to be a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said this when he was paraded by the police in Abuja.
But Malami quickly fired back saying a quack could never be his consultant and that Ajodo was a drowning man.
Authorities of the Nigerian Police Force on Thursday paraded those they called “Fourteen fake police officers who invaded Justice Mary Odili’s residence” on October 29.
The fake officers were reportedly led by the self-acclaimed CSP Ajodo, who during the parade made a U-Turn and said he is not an officer of the force.
The other suspects according to the police are; Michael Diete-Spiff, Bar. Alex Onyekuru, Bayero Lawal, Bar. Igwe Ernest, Aliyu Umar Ibrahim, Maimuna Maishanu, Ayodele Akindipe, Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Musa, ASP Mohammed Yahaya, Stanley Nkwazema (journalist), Shehu Jibo, Abdullahi Adamu and L/CPL Mike.
They were paraded at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Garki, Abuja by the Force spokesman, Frank Mba.
Mba, a Commissioner of Police, who described the suspects as “Impostors unknown to any of the nation’s security forces”, said they were drawn from different professional backgrounds, notably, journalism, banking and law enforcement.
He called them “loose cannons and document forgers”, who were on their own and not hired by any personnel of the ministry of justice.
He said other suspects, including two military personnel, were currently at large.
The Force spokesman said all of them conspired to raid the residence of Odili following information that the Supreme Court justice was keeping a large sum of money in foreign currencies.
Justice Odili is the wife of Peter Odili, a former governor of Rivers State.
In an interview with newsmen after they were paraded by the police, the purported fake CSP, Ajodo, said, “I am not an officer of the Nigeria Police but a consultant for the AGF (Malami). He did not send us to raid Mrs Odili’s house.”
Responding to a question about his profession, Ajodo said, “Let me explain. There is a mandate of 18 accounts in Nigeria given to me. I am not from another country, this is my country. They gave me 29 accounts to recover; they did not give it to any chambers; I am the one they gave.
“Malami gave it to me but this assignment (Odili’s house raid) I went, Malami did not send me. I am a recovery consultant. I am not a lawyer, I am a consultant. We are five employed in that office.”
I’ve no business with him – Malami
Shortly after the parade by police, AGF refuted the claim by Ajodo.
In a statement by Dr Umar Gwandu, Malami described the said confession as “An orchestrated attempt to stir unnecessary controversies and public apprehension”.
According to him, “With all the competent, high-level professionals and capable human resources available at the disposal of the honourable attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, it only takes the imagination of the evil minds to assume or think that the honourable attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice will descend so low to engaging a quack or fake police officer to serve as his consultant,” the statement reads.
“This is a case of a drowning man scavenging for a dying partner. We are happy to note that investigation has commenced unravelling the circumstances and personalities behind the invasion and sponsored campaign of calumny against the honourable attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice.
“We asked the suspect to present documents of engagements where he worked as a consultant to the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, whether in past or now.
“Consultant for what? Which activity or assignment? When was he engaged? What were the terms of references for the alleged consultancy service? When was he engaged? Where was he engaged? Which work has he executed for the honourable attorney-general of the federation and the ministry of justice? For what duration? And for how much?” he asked.