Senate leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume representing Borno South has called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to arrest former President Goodluck Jonathan, stating that beneficiaries of the siphoned $2.1 billion arms purchase fund are living on bloody money.
He made this assertion while addressing Journalists in Abuja adding that if the on-going anti-graft war by President Muhammdu Buhari must be seen to be a reality, the Commission should beam its searchlight on Jonathan. Senator Ndume said, “As far as I am concerned, these people are living on blood money, the blood of so money innocent citizens of this country particularly from the North East. No justice is too much for them, nobody is supposed to be spared. Because the case is judicial and I am not a lawyer to determine who should be brought to book, what I am saying is that justice should be served. Over 10,000 people have lost their lives, at one time you could see my people were slaughtered like chickens and the reason why this happened was because our army was not equipped and not well kitted. And somebody made away with the money meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition. “I am not defending former President Jonathan, but he approved that this money be used for procurement of arms, so if the law says he should be part of those that should be held accountability or those that should face justice, I think nobody should be spared. “If Olisah Metuh is using that as an excuse or a way to circumvent the law. I really don’t want to make comment on that but anybody that is involved in that blood money should be held responsible. “If the former President approved that money in the name of buying arms while giving a directive that it should be shared among his cronies, then he should face the law. If anybody is supposed to buy arms and you gave them money to buy arms, as the president, after some time you should ask `where are the arms anyway’. “Let me add and clearly that is my position, if because of this or any other criminality Jonathan should face the law, he should, I did, I am facing the law. Nobody is supposed to be above the law, if Jonathan is a culprit, he should face the law: if there is evidence that the former president should face the law then he should. After all he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
He made this assertion while addressing Journalists in Abuja adding that if the on-going anti-graft war by President Muhammdu Buhari must be seen to be a reality, the Commission should beam its searchlight on Jonathan. Senator Ndume said, “As far as I am concerned, these people are living on blood money, the blood of so money innocent citizens of this country particularly from the North East. No justice is too much for them, nobody is supposed to be spared. Because the case is judicial and I am not a lawyer to determine who should be brought to book, what I am saying is that justice should be served. Over 10,000 people have lost their lives, at one time you could see my people were slaughtered like chickens and the reason why this happened was because our army was not equipped and not well kitted. And somebody made away with the money meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition. “I am not defending former President Jonathan, but he approved that this money be used for procurement of arms, so if the law says he should be part of those that should be held accountability or those that should face justice, I think nobody should be spared. “If Olisah Metuh is using that as an excuse or a way to circumvent the law. I really don’t want to make comment on that but anybody that is involved in that blood money should be held responsible. “If the former President approved that money in the name of buying arms while giving a directive that it should be shared among his cronies, then he should face the law. If anybody is supposed to buy arms and you gave them money to buy arms, as the president, after some time you should ask `where are the arms anyway’. “Let me add and clearly that is my position, if because of this or any other criminality Jonathan should face the law, he should, I did, I am facing the law. Nobody is supposed to be above the law, if Jonathan is a culprit, he should face the law: if there is evidence that the former president should face the law then he should. After all he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
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