In compliance with the directive of the National Assembly and an explanation by Senator Danjuma Goje that the laptop, files and money found in his Maitama, Abuja residence during a raid by the police were incidental materials on the 2017 proposed appropriation bill, the Police has returned the papers to him.
Earlier, the Nigerian Police Force, who boss, Ibrahim Idris, was yesterday given a 24 hours ultimatum by the House of Representatives to return the National Assembly documents reportedly carted away during a raid on Senator Danjuma Goje’s Maitama residence in Abuja, had denied that the material they took bore any relationship to the 2017 proposed appropriation bill. .
The Force in a statement on Thursday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said that apart from an incriminating file dealing with assassination plots, they found and took away N18.056 million, $19,850 and SR9, 400 (Saudi Riyals), and a laptop.
He listed the files recovered during the operation carried out on the basis of information on movements of suspicious materials from the Senator’s residence to include: “2009; file on release of funds for Special operations; 2009; file on Gombe State government cash inflow 2005; file on Project 2007 – Executive Briefs on how to fight opposition in Gombe State – Strategies and Tactics.”
He said: “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to state categorically that there was no single document relating to 2017 budget sighted or removed by the Police team that executed the search warrant. There is video recording of the execution of the search warrant,”
“The search warrant was successfully executed in the presence of three close relatives of Senator Danjuma Goje who are residing in the house and the recoveries were made in their presence.
“The relatives-Danjuma Mohammed, nephew to the Senator, Usman, house keeper and Aisha Umar, stepdaughter to Goje-opened the house and took the police team round the building, and endorsed their signatures after the completion of the search as required by the procedure of law on search warrant which contained the money, documents and laptop recovered, and none of the items include 2017 budget document.”
Stating that investigation had commenced on the matter, Moshood added that the IGP had already appeared before the Federal lawmakers to explain the legality of the raid.
