The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister for
Justice, Abubakar Malami, has asked judges to discountenance
letters sent to them by the Special Presidential Investigation
Panel on the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP)
Some judges of the Federal High Court had come under harassment
by the panel and took the timely intervention by the AGF to rescue
them.
A judge of the Federal High Court who confided in our reporter,
said the panel wrote to him and his colleagues that there were
petitions against them bordering on alleged undisclosed
properties.
A copy of the letter read: “The Office of the
Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property is
in receipt of a petition against you bordering on abuse of office
and thus investigating the allegations contained in the petition
therein.
“Consequently, in furtherance to our mandate made pursuant to
Section 3 of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions)
Act, we request that you declare your assets as prescribed in form
attached.”
The letter was dated October 9, 2017, and was signed by an
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sulaiman M. Abdul, on behalf of
the Chairman of the panel, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla.
The judge said he was surprised when he received the letter
having dully filed his asset declaration form with the Code of
Conduct of Bureau.
He also stated that no petition was attached to the letter.
Eventually, some of the affected judges complained to the
Malami, who eventually caused the Solicitor General of the
Federation and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata,
to write to the judges to discountenance the letters.
One of such withdrawal letters the Solicitor-General of the
Federation wrote to one of the affected judges dated November 1,
2017, read: “I am directed to refer Your Lordship to the above
subject matter in relation to notices issued by Chief Okoi
Obono-Obla, acting in his capacity as the chairman of the Special
Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property to some
judges of the Federal High Court, including Your Lordship.
“Regrettably, the said notices were issued without due process
and requisite clearance, hence, I have the mandate of the Minister
of Justice to withdraw same with immediate effect. Your Lordship
may therefore wish to discountenance the said notice issued to you
in its entirety.”
For reasons a presidential source described as ‘excesses’,
Obono-Obla was suspended in November last year.
The suspension letter dated November 5, 2017, and referenced
HAGF/SH/2017/VOL/1/60 which was issued by the Office of the AGF
read: “I have received a letter Ref. SH/OVP/DCOS/FMJ/0424 dated
October 20, 2017, in respect of the above subject from the Office
of the Vice President.
“In the said letter, the vice president expressed his concerns
on the activities of the Special Investigation Panel on the
Recovery of Public Property, which runs contrary to the enabling
Act establishing it. He also noted that the activities of the panel
run foul or contrary to established administrative procedures and
protocols in the federal civil service structure.
“In view of the foregoing, coupled with the directives contained
in the letter under reference, you are hereby directed to refrain
from any further action or taking any step in your capacity as the
chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of
Public Property with immediate effect until directed otherwise by
the vice president.
“While you are to await further instructions in respect of the
panel’s mandate, you are hereby directed to promptly provide a
detailed up-to-date report on the activities of the panel to the
undersigned for onward transmission to the vice president.
“Furthermore, you are required to henceforth seek clearance from
the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice
before granting any media interview or making press statement on
official matters.”
After intensive lobbying, Obono-Obla was reinstated as chairman
of the panel.
Culled from Thisday
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister for
Justice, Abubakar Malami, has asked judges to discountenance
letters sent to them by the Special Presidential Investigation
Panel on the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP)
Some judges of the Federal High Court had come under harassment
by the panel and took the timely intervention by the AGF to rescue
them.
A judge of the Federal High Court who confided in our reporter,
said the panel wrote to him and his colleagues that there were
petitions against them bordering on alleged undisclosed
properties.
A copy of the letter read: “The Office of the
Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property is
in receipt of a petition against you bordering on abuse of office
and thus investigating the allegations contained in the petition
therein.
“Consequently, in furtherance to our mandate made pursuant to
Section 3 of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions)
Act, we request that you declare your assets as prescribed in form
attached.”
The letter was dated October 9, 2017, and was signed by an
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sulaiman M. Abdul, on behalf of
the Chairman of the panel, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla.
The judge said he was surprised when he received the letter
having dully filed his asset declaration form with the Code of
Conduct of Bureau.
He also stated that no petition was attached to the letter.
Eventually, some of the affected judges complained to the
Malami, who eventually caused the Solicitor General of the
Federation and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata,
to write to the judges to discountenance the letters.
One of such withdrawal letters the Solicitor-General of the
Federation wrote to one of the affected judges dated November 1,
2017, read: “I am directed to refer Your Lordship to the above
subject matter in relation to notices issued by Chief Okoi
Obono-Obla, acting in his capacity as the chairman of the Special
Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property to some
judges of the Federal High Court, including Your Lordship.
“Regrettably, the said notices were issued without due process
and requisite clearance, hence, I have the mandate of the Minister
of Justice to withdraw same with immediate effect. Your Lordship
may therefore wish to discountenance the said notice issued to you
in its entirety.”
For reasons a presidential source described as ‘excesses’,
Obono-Obla was suspended in November last year.
The suspension letter dated November 5, 2017, and referenced
HAGF/SH/2017/VOL/1/60 which was issued by the Office of the AGF
read: “I have received a letter Ref. SH/OVP/DCOS/FMJ/0424 dated
October 20, 2017, in respect of the above subject from the Office
of the Vice President.
“In the said letter, the vice president expressed his concerns
on the activities of the Special Investigation Panel on the
Recovery of Public Property, which runs contrary to the enabling
Act establishing it. He also noted that the activities of the panel
run foul or contrary to established administrative procedures and
protocols in the federal civil service structure.
“In view of the foregoing, coupled with the directives contained
in the letter under reference, you are hereby directed to refrain
from any further action or taking any step in your capacity as the
chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of
Public Property with immediate effect until directed otherwise by
the vice president.
“While you are to await further instructions in respect of the
panel’s mandate, you are hereby directed to promptly provide a
detailed up-to-date report on the activities of the panel to the
undersigned for onward transmission to the vice president.
“Furthermore, you are required to henceforth seek clearance from
the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice
before granting any media interview or making press statement on
official matters.”
After intensive lobbying, Obono-Obla was reinstated as chairman
of the panel.
Culled from Thisday