Former Vice-President Namadi Sambo has alleged that security agencies were in desperate moves to rope him for a criminal offence.
He made the allegation over what he said were the repeated raids of his 1, Alimi Road, GRA, Kaduna by security agencies.
The house, though unoccupied, was raided for the fourth time in six months last Wednesday, Sambo said yesterday.
He said in a statement that the security agents were on a “fault-finding mission”.
His spokesman, Umar Sani, who signed the statement said none of the raids was scheduled and the reasons were not “specifically stated.”
Nothing incriminating was found during the four raids but he is “apprehensive” that an incriminating object may be planted in his residence at some point “in order to wilfully and deliberately incriminate him.”
According to Sani, “In the late afternoon of Wednesday, the 28th of June 2017, the Alimi Road, Kaduna un-occupied residence of the former Vice President Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo was invaded by security operatives armed with a search warrant, who conducted a forensic search of the entire residence.
“Initially, we were at a loss as to their identity but later discovered that they were operatives from the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC). This raid brings to four the number of times the residence was searched within a period of six months and on each occasion valuable fittings were deliberately destroyed.
“It is worthy of note to state that no such brazen attempts were made at any point, either at his Link Road Kaduna residence, or his Abuja apartment, which he presently occupy.
“As the visit of the operatives was unscheduled, the reasons for the search were not specifically stated.
“However, the outcome of the search was made known. At the end of the whole exercise, the officers, who carried out the search were satisfied that nothing incriminating was found.
“As a law-abiding citizen, the former Vice-President did not raise any alarm in the previous invasions in view of the fact that he has nothing to hide.
“The recent desperation exhibited by some security agencies in carrying out a raid on an unoccupied residence blocking all entry and exit points, in a commando-style and coming along with a bullion van speaks volumes of the clandestine intention of the security operatives.
“It is therefore worrisome to note that the consistency with which the searches occurred and the intervals between them portrays a desire of a fault-finding mission.
“We are apprehensive that a repeat of such episode will not be surprising if an incriminating object is planted in his residence in order to wilfully and deliberately incriminate him.
“It is against this background that we wish to draw the attention of the unsuspecting members of the public to this phenomenon.
“The desperation of some of the security agencies is glaring by the number of times such searches were conducted and still counting. We hope it is not a way to try to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.”
However, when contacted the ICPC, which carried out the latest raid said it would not comment on the allegation. According to Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, the ICPC spokesperson, ” We don’t have any comment yet. When we are ready we would issue a statement.”
The former vice president recently visited Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
