By Ignatius Okorocha
The Senate on Monday debunked insinuation in some quarters that it was part of the Federal government’s decision to frozen the bank accounts of some youth leaders in the recent EndSARS protest in parts of he country.
Making clarification in Abuja while fielding questions from journalists, Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and legal matters, Senator Michael Opeyemi said his committee has distanced itself from the recent freezing of the bank accounts of some youth leaders in the country.
Speaking further on the matter, the lawmaker said members of the committee first learnt of the action reportedly carried out by the federal government through the media.
Recall that the bank accounts of some youth leaders were reportedly frozen by the federal government over their involvement in the recent EndSars protests.
“We read it in the news like everyone of us. Our committee is also interested in knowing what is going on in this regard. As it is our committee is neither in a position to either explain or defend.”
He said that the legislature will liaise with the executive to know what is going on.
“We will reachout to the executive. And if it is true what the stakeholders in charge are trying to achieve with this,” he said.
Opeyemi also disclosed that the committee is unaware of the recent arrest and imprisonment of six persons over allegations of sponsoring the terror group, Boko Haram.
This he explained will be investigated by the committee with a view to understanding the true position of things.
Still on Boko Haram, the Committee Chairman disclosed that the upper legislative Chamber is working with the relevant committee of the House Of Representatives on the amount earmarked for the prosecution of Boko Haram suspects.
“These are some of the issues before us as a committee. It’s not just the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, the House Committee on Justice is also working with us on this matter.
He stressed that the Senate Committee will scrutinize the 2021 budget of the judiciary so as to “get justification for what they are proposing for 2021 even to the last kobo.”
“That is the whole essence of this matter. They come and they’ve made their presentation and we are interested in how the money appropriated last year was spent even to the last kobo.
“Part of the reason you saw that we couldn’t conclude the Attorney General and minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami is because there is need for more engagements.
“There’s a need for further explanation and documentation on the figures that we have before us.
It will be premature to make any statement or come to any conclusion,” he noted.
He assured of the committee’s readiness to ensure that all that has been spent is accounted for and that the resources are well identified.
“I think a lot has happened in the last one year in terms of extra budgetary spending and sometimes this is to be expected in a country that is prosecuting a war,” he said.
