The Presidency has dissociated President Muhammadu Buhari from having a hand in the investigation of anyone alleged to be involved in any crime.
The Presidency made the assertion on Tuesday in obvious reference to the invitation of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki by the Nigeria Police Force over the Offa, Kwara State, armed robbery incident which left no fewer than 31 people dead in April.
The Presidency said Nigerians should allow law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties as they were not being influenced by the government.
On Monday, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, sent an invitation to Saraki to make further clarifications on his alleged role in the Offa robbery case.
Saraki has since dismissed the invitation as political and a ploy to frustrate the defection of some All Progressives Congress lawmakers.
But in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the Presidency said it was unfortunate that there was always an orchestrated campaign against the president each time a Very Important Person (VIP) was invited by the law enforcement agencies, in the discharge of their legitimate duties and functions.
The presidency said the law of the land was not for the poor alone.
According to it, it is also for the highly placed.
It said that it was odd that once a trial involved a highly placed person political or other meanings were read into it.
It warned that the country could not achieve development in peace when important cases were viewed through a political prism and the law considered as being applicable to some, and not applicable to others.
The Presidency said if Nigerian were used to situations where leaders often tampered with justice or influenced the operations of law enforcement agencies, they should now be used to a situation where the leader allowed the law enforcement to operate without being inhibited.
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The statement reads in full:
The Presidency has taken note of the orchestrated campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari each time a Very Important Person (VIP) is invited by the law enforcement agencies, in the discharge of their legitimate duties and functions.
The law of the land is intended for all, not for the poor or those at the lowest rungs of the social ladder.
It is odd, strange and bizarre that while ordinary citizens can be called up to answer questions or be interrogated, the VIP cannot be questioned without the annoying insinuations of partisanship, persecution or outright politicization.
This country cannot achieve development in peace when important cases are viewed through a political prism and the law is considered as being applicable to some, and not applicable to others.
The workings of law enforcement agencies are set out in the constitution and the laws of the country. If they worked at the discretion of past presidents, who decided who to question and who to detain, Nigerians should get used to the fact that this President is different. President Buhari does not and will not influence or interfere with cases.
The constitution clearly directs law enforcement agencies to promptly report and investigate any actual or potential infringement of the law and also initiate proceedings against all those involved.
This President is not the one who directs them on what to do.
President Buhari does not stand in the way of law enforcement either. Under our constitution, he has no powers to stop the investigation of anyone or institution. When they are set to investigate anything and anyone, the best friend of the law is the one who lets them do their work.
The President’s constant refrain is that he will not tolerate any form of illegality including corruption and the law enforcement agencies have been given complete freedom to identify and bring all culprits to justice. His instructions to them are very clear: Anyone with a case to answer or found guilty should not be spared.
Accused persons should approach the courts to plead their innocence rather than going to the public to plead persecution.
The country is better served when the law enforcement agencies are allowed to do their work and we must stop the actors of this dangerous game of politicizing law enforcement.