The presidency at the weekend said it was not taken
aback by scathing criticism of the travel ban placed on 50 Nigerians by the
federal government in commencement of the implementation of the Executive Order
6.
The presidency has however denied releasing the
list in circulation.
The order authorises the federal government to
seize assets believed to have been illegally acquired while the suspects are facing
trials in various courts.
Last Saturday, President Muhammadu Buhari,
according to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity,
Malam Garba Shehu, ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and
Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to commence full implementation of the
order.
The presidential spokesman also stated that
accordingly, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and other security agencies
had placed no fewer than 50 Nigerians allegedly culpable under watch-list and
consequently restricted them from embarking on any trip out of the country.
However, the president has come under severe
criticisms from various Nigerians who described the travel ban as illegal, more
so that most of them are already facing trials and granted bail.
But a top presidential source who did not want to
be named told THISDAY that such criticisms were not unexpected, because
individuals affected by such travel ban are highly influential people,
submitting that it is corruption fighting back.
"It is expected. They are powerful people. It
is corruption fighting back," he said.
When told that the criticisms were not even coming
from those directly affected by the ban,
he said there was a relationship between the critics and the suspects,
describing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a party laden with corruption
while the All Progressives Congress (APC) is fighting the corruption.
He said: "They are inter-connected. The
beneficiaries are plenty. PDP is a party of corruption. APC is fighting the corruption."
When told the argument of critics that the
government's decision amounts to usurping the power of the judiciary which they
said had the exclusive power to stop individuals from traveling abroad, and
that most of the suspects have been traveling and returning to the country
without constituting any risk, the presidential source queried why they keep
frustrating their cases by constantly securing adjournments for up to 15 years.
"On a personal note, if you know that it is
your money, why don't you sit down and face your trials? If you are freed, you
will enjoy your money. Because it is not your money, that is why you can
adjourn the case for 15 years," he added.
Asked why the names of dead people appeared on the
list, the source was swift to disown the list in circulation, saying the
presidency never released any list as he queried where such list emanated from.
"I don't know where the list came from. They
should trace the list to its source. Where did they get the list from?" He
queried.
When asked then why they opted to keep the list
from the public, he said such a question should be directed to the AGF, saying
he would like to ask the AGF such question.
"That should be subject to the AGF. If l see him
too, I will ask him," he said.
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