CUPP says EFCC’s raid on Onnoghen’s farm part of scheme to frustrate Atiku’s petition

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has condemned what it described as illegal raid of the farm of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, located in Nasarawa State by men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to reports, EFCC had seized sales books, receipt booklets, staff list and other documents and ransacked the farm in search of monies, especially in dollar currencies.

CUPP alleged that the move was aimed at forcing Onnoghen to resign so that the All Progressives Congress (APC) federal administration could completely take over the Supreme Court before the petition of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, against the result of the February 23 presidential election gets to the apex court.

READ ALSO: INEC gives reasons for refusing to grant Atiku access to election materials

CUPP’s spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinye, in a statement on Sunday said, “We have pictorial evidence to show that the farm was raided by a combined team of policemen and officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,”
“These shameless agents of the government stormed Onnoghen’s farm hunting for evidence to back new charges they will file against him to force him to resign,” it alleged.

The statement read further: “The government wants Onnoghen out by all means so that it can completely take over the Supreme Court the petition of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, against the result of the February 23 presidential election gets to the apex court.

“About nine men carried out the illegal raid on the farm. They were driven to the farm in a white Nissan bus with plate number “Abuja BWR 627 AT” at about 5pm.

“They included two policemen, five men in mufti, a drive and one videographer/photographer. “These intruders did not present any search warrant. They claimed that the EFCC does not need a search warrant.

“They forcefully searched the farm manager’s office and took away a list of staff members from around February last year.

“The manager was then made to write and sign a document that nowhere was broken into, and nothing was taken. The Supervisor 1 was made to countersign the document. Both of them were made to sign under duress.

“The cashier was then harassed and forcefully made to turn over the sales record and all receipts and invoices in his keeping.

“He was also made to write an undertaking releasing the sales book to them under duress and made to write his name and role in the company.

“They attempted to harass the Human Resources Director over the phone and requested that the company’s invoices be turned over to the EFCC.

“They left with the company’s sales record, receipts and invoices, as well as the staff list.

“Only ID card of lead EFCC investigator was displayed and no copy of a search warrant was provided to the company.

“We view this raid as President Muhammadu Buhari’s new onslaught against Justice Onnoghen who he illegally suspended as CJN recently.”

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