Nigerian Anti-Narcotics Agency, NDLEA Shields ‘President-Elect’, Says It Cannot Arrest, Prosecute Tinubu For Drugs OffencesIt added that the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain it and as such, should be struck out.
In its notice of preliminary objection signed and filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, 26 April, 2023, by its Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Joseph Nbona Sunday, NDLEA submitted that the application by the PDP, which is the 1st applicant with former Senator, Dino Melaye, as 2nd, is incompetent.
In a sworn affidavit in support of the Agency’s preliminary objection, a litigation officer attached to its Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services, Chia Cosmas Depunn said that as an independent agency of government saddled with the responsibility to investigate, arrest and prosecute persons involved in drug trafficking and other related offences in Nigeria, the NDLEA has a healthy relationship with the government of the United States of America, the name of Bola Tinubu “by whatever...
To further justify the position of the Agency, the litigation officer in the sworn affidavit also made the following submissions:“That the 1st Applicant does not have locus standi to institute this suit as it does not possess interest peculiar to it and above the interests of all other Nigerians. “That the object of the suit was to forfeit the funds or a certain part thereof in the said accounts as proceeds of illicit traffic in drugs.“That the suit was not a criminal indictment or charge.“That the standard of proof in a criminal indictment, charges and proceedings is proof beyond a reasonable doubt.“That the Orders of the United States District Court of Illinois delivered by Magistrate Judge John A Nordberg in Suit No. 9C4483 relating to the release of the funds held in Citi Bank N.A.