Police storm Atiku's home, fire teargas at supporters
Police storm Atiku's home, fire teargas at supporters
Published: 27/ 10/06
MOBILE policemen attached to President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, fired several canisters of teargas at the official residence of Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Abuja in a bid to disperse scores of the VP’s supporters who had gathered in solidarity with him on the suits he filed against the Federal Government.
The two cases— one of which seeks to void his indictment by the EFCC and the FG’s administrative panel, and the other to stop the Code of Conduct Tribunal from trying him— came up for hearing in Abuja yesterday.
The VP’s supporters had stormed his residence within the Presidential Villa after the hearings, singing boisterously. The policemen who could not bear the situation soon swooped on the place and began tear-gassing the sprawling compound.
The Atiku Campaign Organization denounced the police action as barbaric. The organization in a statement by Dr. Adeolu Akande said: “There was no inkling of trouble when an orderly convoy of buses carrying the Vice President’s supporters was cleared by villa security guards to pass through Gate II, as has happened several times in the past, on their way to his residence to pay solidarity visits. “The supporters were coming from the venue of two Federal High Court hearings involving the Vice President but their boisterousness was under control.
“As was the practice, the buses had parked opposite the official residence of the Vice President and the passengers disembarked to await permission to proceed to meet the Turaki Adamawa, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“It was this peaceful assembly that was suddenly attacked violently by a contingent of mobile police led by the Commander of the Presidential Escort, ACP Peter Ogunyonwo. “Canisters of tear gas were liberally used, creating a thick haze that enveloped the entire parking space in
front of the official residence and the entire compound. All visitors and residents of the compound
were seen scampering and sneezing violently from the effects of the tear gas.
“The supporters who were attacked took to their heels and in the melee; four buses and their drivers were taken into custody by the mobile police along with a lone man called Aliyu. “The Atiku Campaign Organization strongly condemns this barbaric attack mounted by the Commander of the Presidential Escort, ACP Peter Ogunyonwo, on innocent Nigerians whose only crime was to pay a solidarity visit to Vice President Atiku Abubakar at a time he is
being hounded by the coercive institutions of the state.
“We call on the President, the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission to
immediately suspend, investigate and discipline ACP Peter Ogunyonwo. “This is a democratic society and Nigerians must be free to exercise the freedom guaranteed by the constitution. It is disrespectful and condemnable to violate the sanctity of the official residence of the number two citizen of the country. “The Atiku Campaign calls on the Police Command to tender an unreserved apology for this embarrassment.”
Atiku writes Senate on PTDF
Meanwhile, Vice President Atiku has written to the Senate President to say he will be personally present at the upcoming Senate probe of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF)
The Vice President’s letter sent by his Deputy Chief Staff, Mr. Sola Akanmode said he was ready to personally defend himself.
The Vice President pointed out that his presence would give him the opportunity to shed light on his earlier submission to the Senate on the on-going investigations into the affairs of the PTDF.
He said it was important for him to make a personal appearance to defend himself because since the PTDF issue started, the public hearing would be his first opportunity to explain himself to a body whose modus operandi appeared transparent and, therefore, inspired some confidence.
|
Linear Mode
