We Don’t have Anything Relating To 2017 Budget; Police Replies Senator Goje

The Nigeria Police Force has denied the claim made by Senaor Danjuma Goje that documents relating to the 2017 budget were carted away by the police during the force raid on his home. The police equally took a swipe at the comments credited to the senator asking Nigerians to blame the Police for any delay in the 2017 appropriation budget.

The Police Force reacting through a press statement states that “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to reports in the media credited to Senator Danjuma Abdullahi Goje captioned “Blame the Police if 2017 Budget is not Ready Senator Goje” “REPS gives Police 24 hours to return budget documents allegedly carted from Goje’s residence”

 The report in its entirety is false, misleading and capable of misinforming Nigerians about the statutory roles and duties of the Nigeria Police Force as provided under Sections 4 & 28 of Police Act and Regulations, which includes prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, the preservation of law and order, the protection of life and property and the due enforcement of all laws and regulations, and authority to enter any house or premises to execute search warrant.

  

It is pertinent to set the record straight and inform Nigerians of the facts of the matter.  A search warrant duly obtained from court of competent jurisdiction was professionally executed in the house of Senator Danujma Goje on 20^th April, 2017 at No. 10 Haile Salasie Street, Asokoro District Abuja which was subsequent upon intelligence report at the disposal of the Force that large sum of money suspected to be stolen public funds and other incriminating items are about to be moved out of the said house.        

The search according to the police was conducted in the presence of three relatives of Senator Goje while listing the items confiscated to include  Cash sum of Eighteen Million and Fifty Six Thousand Naira (₦18,056,000) and foreign currencies with files on Gombe state and a particular file named “File on Project 2007 – Executive Briefs on how to fight opposition in Gombe State – Strategies and Tactics”, and other sensitive documents.

 
The force spokesperson states further that “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to state categorically that there was no single document relating to 2017 budget sighted or removed by the Police team that executed the search warrant. There is video recording of the execution of the search warrant.  

The Nigeria Police Force sees the report in the media credited to Senator Danjuma Goje as a deliberate distraction to cast aspersion on Police investigation to pervert the end of justice.” 

“Members of the public are hereby implored to disregards the report as the search warrant which was professionally executed in the house of Senator Danjuma Goje has nothing to do with 2017 budget.” The statement concluded.