A civil rights group, the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS), has cautioned the judiciary against granting what he termed ‘jankara’ injunction to Mr Ajibola Bashiru, the immediate past Osun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Osun State.

Mr. Bashiru, who is the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun Central Senatorial District in the forthcoming general election, is seeking a court order to prevent the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating him over the allegation of illegally acquiring properties worth over N2.2 billion while serving as a Commissioner in the state.

The rights group, which had initially written a petition to the anti-graft agency detailing the series of illegal acts that were allegedly committed by Ajibola while in office, stated this at a press conference addressed at its office in Ikeja Lagos on Thursday by its Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman.

According to Sulaiman, the judicial arm of government should refrain from granting frivolous injunctions to persons under investigation by the EFCC over corrupt practices, adding that doing so would usurp the functions of the anti-graft agency, whom he claimed, was doing its constitutionally assigned role of investigating graft in the country.

Sulaiman added that should the court go ahead to grant the order, such action would amount to an abuse of judicial process just as it would also negate the anti-corruption posture of President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government.

On the resolve of CSCEOS, Sulaiman stated: “The group would not hesitate to drag any judge or magistrate found to have compromised his position by granting any ‘jankara’ order to the National Judicial Council (NJC) and all the anti-graft agencies for proper investigation as we suspect foul play in the latest antics of Ajibola Bashiru who is trying to wriggle out of the monumental allegation of sleaze.”

The activist’s alarm is coming against the backdrop of insinuation in some quarters suggesting that the ex-Commissioner had concluded arrangement to approach the law court with a view to preventing the anti-corruption body from investigating him over sundry allegations of acquiring choice properties across the country through public funds.

“We have since discovered that he has enlisted the services of some unscrupulous elements in the judiciary to subvert and derail the current investigative efforts of the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies.

“We have also discovered that he is working with some criminal elements in the police force to achieve the same aim but we are waiting. We wish to inform Nigerians that Ajibola Bashiru is trying to use his position as a former chief law officer of the state to subvert the law and we are watching him,” the activist stated.

Sulaiman insisted that all the allegations contained in the group’s petition to the EFCC were nothing but the truth, urging the EFCC to conduct its investigation without fear or favour just as he said he has more incriminating document against the APC senatorial candidate.

According to Sulaiman, approaching the law court for a ‘jankara’ injunction has shown that the Ajibola Bashiru have something to hide from the public regarding the allegation hence his recourse to the judiciary for reprieve.

He stressed that the group would not fold its arm and watch any individual or group of individuals cart away the resources of Osun or any other state meant for development under the guise of serving the state as a political office holder.

According to the group, “Mr. Ajibola Bashiru should allow the EFCC to do its statutory function of investigating financial crimes in Nigeria and in Osun State in particular, saying anything apart from that means he has something to hide.

“Mr. Bashiru as a lawyer should know that he remains innocent of all the allegations that have been levelled against him until the EFCC concludes its investigations against him and that subsequent prosecution in the court of competent jurisdiction says otherwise.

“Our Judiciary as respected arm of government and last hope of the common man should not be allowed to be dragged into the mud by any individual no matter how highly placed in the society,” he said.

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