By Adesina Soyooye
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has denied that a fake Chief Superintendent of Police, Ajodo Lawrence, consults for him.
Ajodo, one of the 14 suspects paraded on Thursday, November 11, 2021, for the infamous invasion of the home of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Peter-Odili on October 29, 2021, shocked not a few people when he admitted to being a fake CSP, but said he is a Consultant for Malami.
On the day Peter-Odili’s home was invaded, Ajodo had an identity card signed by Malami. But the Police discovered that to be fake too. Malami’s signature was forged, the Police said.
Malami, outraged by the claim asked the Police to also find out those bent on destroying him. He denied ever hiring the fake CSP to consult for him. He said with the array of professionals at his beck and call, only a mad person would believe he would descend to hiring a fake CSP as a consultant.
In.a statement signed on his behalf by his Media Aide, Dr Umar Geandu, Malami asked what assignment he would send a fake CSP to, and asked him to disclose where, how, and for what purpose he would keep him as a consultant. He dismissed Ajodo as “a drowning man scavenging for a dying partner.”
The statement reads:
The attention of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to a confession of a suspect during interrogation in the investigation of the recent invasion of the residence of the highly respected Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Peter-Odili.
“With all the competent, high level professionals and highly competent human resources available at the disposal of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, it only takes the imagination of the evil minds to assume, or think that the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will descend so low to engaging a quack, or fake Police Officer to serve as his consultant.
“This is a case of a drowning man scavenging for a dying partner. We are happy to note that investigation has commenced unraveling the circumstances and personalities behind the invasion and sponsored campaign of calumny against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
“It is our desire, and we hope that the investigation would also disclose those after the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, those dragging his personality, his name and his exalted office in the dirty politics of disrepute.
“This is an orchestrated attempt to stir unnecessary controversies and public apprehension.
“We ask the suspect to present documents of engagements, where he worked as a consultant to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, whether in the past or now.
“Consultant for what? Which activity or assignment? When was he engaged? What were the terms of references for the alleged consultancy service? Where was he engaged? Which work has he executed for the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice? For what duration? And, for how much?
“We boldly and unequivocally challenge the fake consultant/police officer to come out with answers or responses to these questions to the general public.
“The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice who superintends over and respects the rule of law will not do anything to undermine the sanctity of his office and that of the entire Judiciary and Justice sector.”
In the wake of the invasion of Justice Peter-Odili’s home, the NBA and Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs had asked for a thorough probe into the incident. The Body of SANs had visited the AGF/ Minister of Justice in his office to lay bare their displeasure and embarrassment.
From the onset, Malami denied complicity in the scandalous incident.
