2017 Budget: Presidency wades into IGP, Goje war-of-words

. Says all items taken from Goje’s residence during raid by police have been returned to him

.Goje lied on budget documents – Police

Sensing the negative impact of unnecessary delay in the passage of the 2017 Budget, the Presidency on Thursday waded into the war- of-words between the police and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, over the controversy of the former’s raid on the lawmaker’s residence.

The Presidency, The Daily Times gathered, intervened in order to save the situation from truncating the passage of the all-important document that the country is patiently waiting for.

The Senior Special Adviser to the President National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, who disclosed this, also said that the matter is receiving the necessary attention for amicable settlement.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday and titled: “Resolution of issues: Re: Nigeria Police Force and Senator Danjuma Goje”, Enang said the Presidency intervened by reaching out to both parties involved, and resorted to dialogue as way of reaching positive resolution on the matter.

According to Enang, all items taken from the residence of Senator Goje during the course of the raid on the latter’s residence last week have been returned to the lawmaker.

The statement reads in part: “Further to the visit of the Nigeria Police Force to the residence of His Excellency, Senator Danjuma Goje, CON, in the course of routine duties wherefrom certain items were taken by the Police, and issues subsequently arising, I am to inform all that all the items taken in the course of routine police duties have been returned to the Distinguished Senator at his house by the Nigeria Police.

“Further, to state that all other issues relating to the subject matter are being addressed with a view to positive resolution.

“Meanwhile, we sincerely appreciate the Senate and the House of Representatives for the enormous work that they have put in to ensure timely passage of the 2017 Appropriation Bill.”

Meanwhile, the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, has said that the National Assembly would ensure that the 2017 budget is ready for President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent next week.

Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, Lawan said the Senate had intended to pass the budget in March but that was not possible due to issues beyond the lawmakers’ control.

He said Nigerians should not worry about the budget despite the police raid on the residence of Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, even though it was reported that part of the documents carted away included the budget papers.

Lawan said: “The good news is that we are doing everything possible to ensure that we catch up the lost time. I am thinking that by next week by the grace of God, we should be able to finish our own work and pass the budget to Mr. President to sign.

“There is nothing to worry about, the National Assembly had intended to pass the budget in March but due to some of the parameters that we had little or no control over, we couldn’t pass it in March.

“It was our desire and design to pass it this month but somehow something happened and all of you here know what happened. The house of one of our colleagues, the chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje, was raided by the police after a whistle blower gave information and when some documents were taken, part of the budget papers were also included.”

But the Nigeria Police Force on Thursday denied claim that the 2017 Budget document under preparation was removed from Senator Danjuma Abdullahi Goje’s residence at No. 10 Haile Salasie Street, Asokoro District Abuja on 20th April 2017 when it searched the house.

The police said the search team removed from Senator Goje’s house incriminating documents including a document on the killing of a Sheikh in Kano State which Senator Goje must answer questions.

In a statement signed by its spokesman, CSP Jimoh O Moshood, the police said that the claim by Senator Goje and the
“report in its entirety is false, misleading and capable of misinforming Nigerians about the statutory roles and duties of the Nigeria Police Force as provided under Sections 4 & 28 of Police Act and Regulations.”

That “includes prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, the preservation of law and order, the protection of life and property and the due enforcement of all laws and regulations, and authority to enter any house or premises to execute search warrant.”

The statement said that a search warrant duly obtained from court of competent jurisdiction and was professionally executed in the house of Senator Danujma Goje on 20th April, 2017 at No. 10 Haile Salasie Street, Asokoro District Abuja based on intelligence report that ” large sum of money suspected to be stolen public funds and other incriminating items are about to be moved out of the said house.”

The police spokesman further stated that, “It is worthy of note that on arrival of the Police team to Senator Danujma Goje’s house, the house keeper, Ango Usman, informed the Senator of the presence and mission of the team and he promised coming but later switched off his phone.”

According to Moshood, the search warrant was successfully executed in the presence of three (3) close relatives of Senator Danjuma Goje who are residing in the house and the recoveries were made in their presence.

“That the three relatives of 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,” he added.

The police image maker said that “for avoidance of doubt, the followings are the sum of money both in local and foreign currencies, vital documents and a Laptop recovered for investigation when the search warrant was executed in the house of Senator Danjuma Goje.
i. Cash sum of Eighteen Million and Fifty Six Thousand Naira (₦18,056,000) only;
ii. Cash sum of Nineteen Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty (19,850 US Dollars);
iii. Cash sum of Nine Thousand Four Hundred (SR9, 400) Saudi Riyal;
iv. Thirty-eight (38) Files and Six (6) Envelopes containing documents, some of which are listed below:
a. File on funds spent on security administration and information gathering– a-g – 2009
b. File on release of funds for Special operations a- f – 2009;
c. File on Gombe State Government of Nigeria Cash inflow 2005;
d. File on Project 2007 – Executive Briefs on how to fight opposition in Gombe State – Strategies and Tactics;
e. Envelopes containing permit to operate as an Oil Industry Service Company (special categories) 2011;
f. A File containing write-ups on how Governor Shekarau plotted the assassination of Sheikh Jafaru;
g. Letters from Alhaji Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Sarkin Yakin Gombe) to the MD LUBELL Nigeria Ltd of proposed residential Devt at Kashere Phase II dated 16/01/2007 and 19/11/2010.

The statement explained the items were counter signed for and removed in the present of three relation of Gone :(i) Danjuma Mohammed, a master Degree holder from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a Chartered Quantity Surveyor is a nephew to Senator Danjuma Goje.

(ii) Ango Usman, House keeper to Senator Danjuma Goje and (iii) Aisha Umar, Alias Iklima a step daughter to the Senator Danjuma Goje.

The Nigeria Police Force categorically stated 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 Police said that further investigation is currently ongoing into the matter and insisted that its actions are in line with the provisions of Sec. 4 & 28 of Police Act and Regulations as mentioned in paragraph 2 above and consistent with Sec. 9 & 144 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

“The Nigeria Police Force sees the report in the media credited to Senator Danjuma Goje as a deliberate distraction to cast aspersion on Police investigation to pervert the end of justice, the Moshod said.

It would be recalled that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Wednesday, visted of the National Assembly but did not explain the legality of the search warrant that was executed in the house of Senator Danjuma Goje on the 20th of April, 2017.