•Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday broke his silence on the allegation by the ex – Chief of Army Staff, Major – General Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd) that he (Obasanjo) wanted to kill him.
Obasanjo said he had no plan to kill Bamaiyi, adding that his government only asked him to answer questions regarding people that were alleged to have been killed by him.
The former President who turned 80 last March, wondered what benefits would accrue to him if he should kill Bamaiyi, saying “Who the hell is he that I would want to kill him? Kill him for what? To achieve what?”
Obasanjo offered the clarification at his Hill top residence on Presidential Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during questions and answers session when he hosted the Correspondents Chapel of the Ogun State chapter of Nigeria Union of Journalists.
“That I wanted to kill him (Bamaiyi)? What of the people he killed? My government did not plot to kill him. My government asked him to answer to those that were alleged to have been killed by him and that is legitimate.
“That if there is an allegation that you have done something, that you have committed a crime, then you are arrested, you should answer. And that’s all. Pure and simple. Who the hell is he that I would want to kill him? Kill him for what? To achieve what? No!
” There were allegations, the police and the law enforcement agencies decided to look into the allegations.
“They invited him and they asked him to answer as a result of what was found, so they charged him to court. So, it’s now up to him, the investigators as I said, the prosecutors and the judiciary. That’s all,” Obasanjo said.
The former president suggested ways to ensure success in the on – going war against corruption in the country.
According to him, “thorough investigation, diligent prosecution and committed judiciary” would guarantee effective and victorious war against corruption.
He urged the nation’s anti-graft agencies to desist from engaging weak prosecutors but rather hire quality lawyers from within.
He noted that lawyers from outside the agencies could deliberately file a wishy washy case just to give the other party an avenue to escape justice.
Obasanjo said, “I was reading today when the President (Muhammadu Buhari) said the EFCC should stop losing cases. They lose cases for a number of reasons. One, they engage more of outside lawyers. I believe that they need staunch, ogbologbo lawyers inside that will do the work.
“If I am a lawyer and I want the opponent to win a case, what I will file will be wishy washy. And if I file a wishy washy case, the opponent will see the loophole and he will get out of it. I believe that it is important.
“Secondly, thorough investigation is very important. Now, investigation must be thorough, it must be proper and it must be really taken seriously.
“Third, our judges must be committed in fighting corruption. They must be committed to fighting corruption. Because if the investigation is very sound and you have ogbologbo lawyer to handle the case, if you have Salamigate, you know what the answer will be.
“So it is a line: investigation, prosecution and the judiciary. If there is weakness along this line, chances are that corruption cases will continue to be lost.”
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