A former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), 13 former governors and seven ex-ministers have been barred from traveling out of the country under Executive Order 6 (EO6) issued yesterday by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The restriction followed the judicial affirmation of the constitutionality and legality of the Executive Order 6 (EO6).
The watch-list and restriction were put in place pending the conclusion of the cases against those affected.
Also on the watch list seen last night by The Nation are: ex-governors Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto), Muazu Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun); and Ibrahim Shehu Shema (Katsina).
The ex-ministers are Nenadi Usman, Bashir Yuguda, Jumoke Akinjide; Bala Mohammed; Abba Moro; Femi Fani-Kayode; and Ahmadu Fintiri.
Others include a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh; ex- Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral A. D. Jibrin; a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar; a former Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero; and a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; Chairman Emeritus of AIT/ Raypower, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi; Waripamowei Dudafa (a former Special Assistant (Domestic) to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan); a former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike; a former judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia;
Also on the list are a former National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh; Chief Jide Omokore; Ricky Tarfa; and Dele Belgore (SAN).
Most of the affected persons are currently facing trial for alleged corrupt practices in different courts.
The list was generated from cases and proceedings filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Nigeria Police, and 17 other agencies.
The document indicated that many of those affected had earlier been placed on similar legal restrictions by the courts and security agencies including restriction of movement, seizure of passport, temporary forfeiture of assets, freezing of accounts and others.
Explaining the government’s action in a statement yesterday, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), Mallam Garba Shehu said: “Following the instant judicial affirmation of the constitutionality and legality of the Executive Order 6 (EO6), President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice to implement the Order in full force.
“To this end, a number of enforcement procedures are currently in place by which the Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies have placed no fewer than 50 high profile persons directly affected by EO6 on watch-list and restricted them from leaving the country pending the determination of their cases.
“Also, the financial transactions of these persons of interest are being monitored by the relevant agencies to ensure that the assets are not dissipated and such persons do not interfere with, nor howsoever corrupt the investigation and litigation processes.
“It is instructive to note that EO6 was specifically directed to relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that all assets within a minimum value of N50 million or equivalent, subject to investigation or litigation are protected from dissipation by employing all available lawful means, pending the final determination of any corruption-related matter.
“The Buhari administration reassures all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians of its commitment to the fight against corruption, in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the general principles of the Rule of Law.
“Accordingly, this administration will uphold the rule of law in all its actions and the right of citizens would be protected as guaranteed by the Constitution.
“We, therefore, enjoin all Nigerians to cooperate with the law enforcement authorities towards ensuring a successful implementation of the Executive Order 6 which is a paradigm-changing policy of the Federal Government in the fight against corruption.”
A top government official, who spoke in confidence, said there is no cause for alarm on E06.
The source said: “The ban is not different from the conditions given by the court in granting these accused persons bail. The E06 is like a codification of steps to prevent those on trial for alleged corrupt practices from tampering with assets.
“Some of these accused persons used to go to court for permission before they can travel out of the country. The E06 is not a new thing but instead of all agencies working at cross-purposes, a list was generated and backed with the Executive Order.
“Some of those on trial, especially the Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) had been selling their assets. What will they return after being convicted?”
PDP rejects travel ban, says it’s prelude to full-blown fascism
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejected the travel ban outright, dismissing it as an attempt by the Buhari administration to foist full-blown fascism on the country.
Spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the travel restriction was illegal, draconian and targeted at members of opposition parties, perceived political enemies of President Muhammadu Buhari, well-meaning Nigerians, including members of the business community, religious leaders, former political leaders and traditional rulers, who are perceived to be averse to the President’s re-election bid.
He said: “We hope this is not a ploy to harm certain eminent Nigerians on the claims of resisting travel restrictions.
“The whole world can now see how fascism is fast taking over our democracy and judicial system and how the Buhari administration, by fiat, has directly ordered that citizens be secretly trailed, their movements and financial transactions restricted by government agencies, without recourse to due process of the law.
“While the PDP notes that the Buhari Presidency has gone into panic mode since the popular emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as PDP Presidential candidate and the spontaneous jubilation his emergence has evoked across the country, the party maintains that the resort to total clamp down on the opposition and our supporters will be totally unacceptable.
“What this means is that all Nigerians, particularly, opposition members, members of the business community and religious leaders, have become endangered and stand the risk of state violence under the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.
“The PDP therefore alerts the international community to hold the Buhari Presidency responsible should any harm befall any opposition leader, key members of the business community and religious leaders across the country as we march towards the 2019 general elections.”
The PDP maintained that no amount of intimidation, harassment and foisting of fascism will deter Nigerians from their determination to rally on its platform to oust the APC from power next year.
Fani-Kayode too
One of the affected persons, Femi Fani-Kayode, described the ban as “utterly shameful and condemnable”.
He alleged that the ban was targeted at members of the opposition.
The ex-Minister of Aviation said: “The banning of 50 prominent Nigerians who are all members of the opposition from travelling out of the country by Buhari’s Executive Order and the power to confiscate their assets even though they have not been empowered to do so by a court of law or convicted of any offence is utterly shameful and condemnable.
“It is nothing less than a descent into fascism and a violation of the fundamental human rights and civil liberties of the individuals that have been directly affected and the Nigerian people.
“It is also a usurpation of the role of the Judiciary. Buhari is so desperate to remain in power that he has now resorted to attempting to muscle and intimidate the opposition. He forgets that he is not God and that he will soon leave power.
“I condemn his lawless and desperate ways in the strongest terms. Only dictators behave in this way and Buhari has proved to be the most brutal and callous of them all in the history of our nation. I challenge him to do his worse and enjoy the short time that he has left in office. Sadists never last. Soon it will all be over and he will account for his evil ways and brought to justice.”
List of affected persons
S/N/ CASE NO/CHARGE NUMBER & COURT OF TRIAL
PARTIES
NPF
1 FHC/ABJ/CR/48/2017 FRN VS GABRIEL SUSWAM &
2 ORS
2 FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2017 FRN VS SOLOMON WOMBO &
2 ORS
3 FHC/MKD/CR/72/2017 FRN VS ORAYEV
AUGUSTINE AVAAN & 8 ORS
4 FCT/ABJ/CR/129/2017 IGP VS RICHARD GBANDE & 2 ORS
5 FCT/ABJ/CR/128/2017 IGP VS RICHARD GBANDE & ORS
6 FHC/L/18C/2015 IGP VS MOSHOOD JUBRIL
FHC/CA/3C/2018-FHC,
CALABAR FRN VS PETER AGI & 1 OTHER
8 FHC/L472C/2015 IGP VS OWOLABI OLUKUNLE &
11 ORS
9 FHC/L/376C/2015 IGP VIS BAKARE JELILI
10 FHC/L/523C/2015 IGP VIS ADESA JIMOH & 2 ORS
11 FHC/L317C/2015 IGP VS KAYODE MORUF & ORS
12 FHC/L/286C/2015 IGP VS JAMIU AJANI & 2 ORS
13 FHC/L144C/2016 IGP VS GANIYU SULAIMAN
14 FHC/L/139C/2016 IGP VS SHOLOLA OMOLARA &
2 ORS
15 FHC/L/394C/2016 FRN VS BILLIAMINU ABDULLAHI & ORS
16 FHC/L/456C/2016 IGP VS TUMBIRI EZEKIEL & 11 ORS
17 FHC/ABJ/CR/117/2017 FRN VS ILIYA JAMES & ORS
18 FHC/ABJ/CR/89/2017 FRN VS AYINDE THOMAS
19 FHC/ABJ/CR/182/2017 FRN VS CHIMA MIKE & ORS
20 FHC/ABJ/CR/94/2017 FRN VS LUCKY UDOBI & ORS
21 FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2017 FRN VS ISMAIL OGALA & 2 ORS
22 FHC/ABJ/CR/41/2018 FRN VS RITA ISAAC & 2 ORS
23 FHC/ABJ/CR/41/2018 FRN VS ALIYU UMAR & 3 ORS
24 HIGH COURT OF
LAGOS 16 & 24 STATE VS CHUKWUDUMEME
ONWUAMADIKE “EVANS & 2 ORS’’
25 CR/265/C/2017 HENRY CHIBUEZE
AKA “VAMPIRE” & 5 ORS
26 CR/90/2017 STATE VS HON. NASIRU
UMAR RONI & 5 ORS
27 CMC/TUM/98CR/2017 STATE VS SHANONO
ALH. AHMED & OTHER
28 I/75C 2016 HIGH
COURT 5, IBADAN C. O. P. VS MUHAMMED
WELI & 1 OTHER
29 I/137C/2017-HIGH
COURT 16 IBADAN C. O. P. VS ABDULLAHI
GARUBA & 3 ORS
30 I/211C/2017-HIGH
COURT 18 IBADAN C. O. P. VS DAHIRU
MOHAMMED
31 I/172C/2017 -HIGH
COURT 17 IBADAN C. O. P. VS JOSEPH
UDOMA & 3 ORS
32 I/184C/2017-HIGH
COURT 19 IBADAN C. O. P. OWOYOMI OKE & 1 OTHER
33 I/49C/2016-HIGH
COURT 5, IBADAN C. O. P. VS KABIRU ALI & 2 ORS
34 I/69C/2016-HIGH
COURT 4, IBADAN C. O. P. VS TUNED IBRAHIM &
2 ORS
35 I/132C/2017 -HIGH
COURT 5, IBADAN C. O. P. VS TUNED IBRAHIM &
3 ORS
36 MOG/03C/2017 C. O. P. VS MUTAIRU
MOHAMMED & 2 ORS
37 HOY/11C/2016 C. O. P. VS SEGUN OMOLADUN
38 MI/31C/2016 C. O. P. VS MUSA SALEH & 4 ORS
39 CR: 32/2016/MOG10C/2016 STATE VS JAMIL UMAR & 6 ORS
40 CR: 34/2016/MOG12C/2016 STATE VS SUNDAY EDOREN & 3 ORS
41 CR: 42/2016/MOG/11C/2016 STATE VS GOODLUCK OGHENE
& 4 ORS
42 CR: 49/2016/MCI/12C/2016 STATE VS OYIBO SHELL & 2 ORS
43 STATE VS EFE REUBEN
44 CR: 78/2016/MOG/44C/2016 STATE VS GODSTIME
EKWEREME & 2 ORS
45 CR: 78/2016/MK/16C/2016 STATE VS SMART
ONOLOGBE & 1 OTHER
46 CR: 81/2016/CMA/259C/2016 STATE VS REUBENOJOGWU & 2 ORS
47 MAB/1064C/2017 C. O. P. CHINOYEN AGU & ORS
48 KTX/06/2018-HIGH
COURT KATSINA C. O. P. VS IBRAHIM
MU’AZU & 1 OTHER
NAPTIP
49 FHC/L/48C/2018-FEDERAL
HIGH COURT LAGOS JUDICIAL
DIVISION NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE VS
PROSSY NIGERIA LTD. & 6 ORS
50 FHC/L/185C/2017 -FEDERAL
HIGH COURT LAGOS JUDICIAL DIVISION FEDERAL
REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA VS
Source: The Nation
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