BREAKING; NDLEA reacts to drug allegation against Tinubu, speaks on alleged US court indictment
BREAKING; NDLEA reacts to drug allegation against Tinubu, speaks on alleged US court indictment
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has filed a preliminary objection to a suit instituted by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and a chieftain of the opposition party, Senator Dino Melaye seeking an order of mandamus to compel the anti-narcotics agency to arrest and prosecute the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over alleged forfeiture of some funds in his bank accounts over two decades ago in the United States.
In its notice of preliminary objection signed and filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday 26th April 2023 by its Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Joseph Nbona Sunday, NDLEA submitted that the application by the PDP, which is the 1st applicant with Melaye as 2nd, is incompetent, adding that the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain it and as such, should be struck out.
Listing its grounds for the objection, the NDLEA said both PDP and Dino Melaye “do not have a locus standi, they do not possess an interest peculiar to them and above the interests of all other Nigerians, the only underlying specific interest of the 1st Applicant then becomes political in nature”, adding that the investigation and prosecution of Tinubu was targeted at removing him as a bona-fide candidate in the February 25th 2023 presidential election.
The Agency argued that “Order of mandamus is an equitable remedy and should only be applied for in good faith and should not produce an indirect or underlying result. The Doctrine of Judicial Self-restraint precludes this Honourable Court from delving into matters with political colouration or matters aimed at getting direct or indirect political goals.
While noting that the foundation of the PDP application was the proceeding of the US District Court of the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division in the US, “the judgment in the said proceeding was given “with prejudice”, adding that “the said proceedings and judgment have no judicial value”, and as such “the supposed cause of action of this suit as constituted is baseless and legally unsustainable.”
In a sworn affidavit in support of the Agency’s preliminary objection, a litigation officer attached to its Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services, Chia Cosmas Depunn said that
as an independent agency of government saddled with the responsibility to investigate, arrest and prosecute persons involved in drug trafficking and other related offences in Nigeria, the NDLEA has a healthy relationship with the government of the United States of America, the name of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu “by whatever acronyms or combination of names has never featured in the exchanges we had with the United States of America.”
He further claimed that the name of Tinubu has also not featured in the radar and data base of the Agency as a person arrested, investigated or prosecuted in connection with drug or other related offences.
While noting that though NDLEA relies on intelligence and information from foreign and domestic partners as well as public spirited individuals, both PDP and Melaye have never for once since the establishment of the Agency in 1990 made or forwarded any complaint, information and/or intelligence on Tinubu or any other person in Nigeria or outside the country relating to illicit activities on drug matters until 17th January 2023.
