Ekweremadu Commends Police on Arraignment of False Whistle Blower

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has commended the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, for the arraignment of the false whistle blower who misled police to conduct a raid on his official guest house last week.

A squad of the IG, has last Friday raided the official guest house of Ekweremadu in Maitama.
The police, initially denied that it conducted the raid, but yesterday arraigned one Ahmed Echodo for deliberately misleading them, before an Upper Area Court, Gudu-Abuja.

Reacting to the development, Ekweremadu who had maintained that nothing incriminating was found during the raid, said the prosecution of Echedo, would serve as a lesson to other false whistle blowers and agencies of government.

“I want to give the police hierarchy the benefit of doubt that it did not authorise the impunity, harassment, and witch-hunt executed by police officers on my official guest house last Friday, and that the police were misled,” he said.

“I hope the swift arraignment of the alleged whistle blowers will be emulated by other security and anti-corruption agencies and also serve as a deterrent to those who lend themselves as willing tools to people out to intimidate and persecute others as well as tarnish their image for whatever motives.”

“But beyond the arraignment, I urge the police to dig deeper to determine if there were influential masterminds behind the incident as a bird does not dance by the roadside without a drum beater somewhere in the bush,” Ekweremadu said.
The DSP added that if security agencies had taken the assassination attempt of November 17, 2015, on him seriously, those seeking to desperately destroy him, would have been fished out.

It should be recalled that Ekweremadu, on May 3, 2017 had informed the Senate of an anonymous tip he received, which revealed that a plot was being hatched to plant incriminating materials including arms and ammunition, in a house linked to him, as part of a plot to arrest him, and remove him from political circulation.

The aim, according to the source, was to rubbish, arrest, prosecute, and ultimately remove Ekweremadu from office.
A statement by Ekweremadu’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, provided some details of the court proceedings where Echodo was arraigned for allegedly conspiring with one Maiwada Adamu, now at large, to mislead the police into the raid.

“The police accused defendant of “criminal conspiracy and giving false information to mislead public servant contrary to Section 97 (1) and 140 of penal Code Law.”

“The charge signed by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ibrahim Agu read: “That on 26/05/17, at about 0900hr, you, Ahmed Echodo ‘M’ aged 50 years, of No. 44 Living Truth Street, Masaka, Nasarawa State and one Maiwada Adamu now at large did conspire within yourselves by informing the Office of IGP, STS at Guzape Area of FCT, Abuja that house No 10 Ganges Street, Maitama, FCT, Abuja occupied by Oliver Ogenyi is being maintained and used for criminal activities, including keeping of firearms and ammunitions.”

“Unfortunately, after the police carried out diligent execution of the search warrant no incriminating items were found therein. You by such action misled the police and hereby committed the above offences.

“The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The bail application by the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Peters Ugwuoke, was opposed by the police prosecutor, ASP Ismail Taiwo.

“The Chief Upper Area Court judge, Umar Kagarko, after listening to the arguments, adjourned till June 5, 2017 for ruling on the bail application.”