- Mimi Oribibi-Azape, a Benue senatorial aspirant accuses police of invading her residence without a search warrant
She alleges that Governor Ortom is behind the police action
Mimi Oribibi-Azape, a former executive chairman of Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), has alleged that policemen invaded her private residence in Makurdi and made away with her personal vehicle, Toyota Hilux, and undisclosed items.
Oribibi raised the alarm in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, September 19, in Makurdi.
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She said she was away when the officers besieged her house on Tuesday evening, September 18, without a search warrant.
Oribibi, who is eyeing the Benue north east senatorial seat, had alleged that the police invaded her private residence while she was absent and took away the vehicle and other valuables yet to be identified.
She was recently sacked by Governor Ortom during a major cabinet shakeup. Oribibi alleged that the people who invaded her house were police personnel sent by Ortom to take away the vehicle.
The aspirant described the act as bizarre, claiming that even if the governor wanted to recover an official vehicle in her possession, a Prado Jeep, he should have written to her on his intention to recover it.
She said she had written to the governor through her lawyers intimating him of her intention to challenge her sack in court because it contravened the conditions contained in her appointment.
She said a 30-day notice to sue had already been served on the governor and said this was to enable him decide either to pay her entitlements for the remaining period of her tenure or recall her to work.
She also questioned the decision to invade her house in her absence without a search warrant and described the act as illegal.
“I am no longer an appointee of the governor; he does not have any right to authorize police personnel to bash into my house just like that without a search warrant.”
In a reaction to the alleged police invasion, the spokesman for the Benue police command, DSP Moses Yamu, told NAN that the command was not aware of the alleged invasion and did not authorise any of its personnel to carry out any raid.
He, however, said the command had ordered full investigation into the matter and assured the general public of its resolve to remain neutral in discharging its lawful duties.
“The command is not aware and did not authorise the raid of anybody’s house.”
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He, however, said that the Benue government had a task force saddled with the onerous responsibility of recovering vehicles from former government appointees.
“Information is that the State Government has a task force saddled with the responsibility of recovering government vehicles from former government and political appointees.
“The Commissioner of Police, however, has ordered immediate investigation into the allegation, while assuring the general public of the command’s resolve to remain neutral in discharging her lawful duty.”
Meanwhile, a report by Punch indicates that a last-minute effort by the First Lady of Lagos state, Bolanle Ambode, to save her husband’s job has failed.
Mrs Ambode was said to have waylaid the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and tried to pacify him to change his mind on his hard stance against her husband.
According to the report, Bolanle followed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to Osun state for the APC mega rally held on Tuesday, September 18, for the state governorship candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, in order to meet Tinubu.
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Source: Naija.ng