Group Petitions Malami, Demands Tinubu’s Prosecution for Alleged Drug Trafficking

Adedayo Akinwale

A group, the Centre for Reform and Advocacy (CRA) has petitioned the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), demanding the prosecution of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for alleged drug trafficking.

The demand  followed the recent release of certified true copy by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois which featured the forfeiture of $460,000 for drugs trafficking and money laundering

The group,   through its counsel, Kalu  Agu  titled, ‘Demand to direct the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to immediately commence the process for the prosecution of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu for dealing in narcotics trafficking and money laundering’, dated November 14, 2022, which was submitted to the office of the AGF on the 15th of November.

The letter read: “It is our honour and privilege and in total fidelity to our objective that we, respectfully, call your attention to the letter attached hereto as annexure “A”.

“As evident ex facie the letter we, on the 8th day of November, 2022 served annexure “A” on the Chairman of NDLEA and therein we demanded for the prosecution of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu under Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, for his involvement in Narcotics Trafficking and Money Laundering.

“In line with the above, and in consonance with the utmost need to ensure that Nigeria does not end up a pariah in the comity of nations for condoning narcotics dealings and allied offences we hereby demand that you direct the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to yield to our demand in annexure “A”.

The group warned  that unless the agency heed to this demand, it would after five working days take appropriate legal steps to compel compliance with the demand in annexure “A” and the one herein made.

A  56-page document  obtained on August 10, showed that Tinubu and two others named K.O. Tinubu and Alhaji Mogati were involved in banking proceeds of illicit drugs and money laundering with Heritage Bank and Citibank.

 It was not immediately clear whether or not ‘Alhaji Mogati’ was a misspelling of Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, Mr Tinubu’s foster mother, who passed on in 2013.

The U.S. government had in July 1993 sought forfeiture of proceeds of narcotics Tinubu was accused of laundering.

The matter was resolved in a compromise between the Tinubus and the U.S. authorities, with the Tinubus being asked to keep the money in the Heritage Bank account while the $460,000 in the Citibank account was forfeited.