Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has criticised the Department of State Services (DSS) over its claims that large sums of foreign currency were recovered from the homes of judges arrested during a late-night operation in October 2016.
Fani-Kayode, in a statement dated October 9, 2016, questioned the credibility of the DSS claims, arguing that the reported discovery of millions of dollars, as well as hundreds of thousands of euros and pounds sterling, was difficult to believe.
Quoting Greek tragedian and philosopher Aeschylus, who lived between 525 BC and 456 BC, Fani-Kayode said, “In war, truth is the first casualty.”
He said the statement was particularly relevant to what he described as the DSS’s allegations surrounding the arrests of several judges in the early hours of Saturday.
“It is in this context that one has to view the absurd claims by the DSS that massive sums of cash ranging from $2 million to hundreds of thousands of euros and pounds sterling were found in the homes of all the judges that were arrested,” he said.
Fani-Kayode further argued that Nigerians should question the claims rather than accept them without scrutiny.
“If anyone honestly believes that such large sums of cash were found in the homes of any of those judges, then that person needs to have his head examined,” he stated.
According to him, the DSS was making the allegations in an attempt to defend what he considered an unlawful operation.
He described the claims as “disinformation and misinformation,” alleging that intelligence and security agencies often use such tactics to damage the reputation of people targeted in controversial operations.
Fani-Kayode also condemned the manner in which the arrests were carried out, particularly the reported raids on the judges’ residences during the night.
“It is sickening and pathetic. In any case, nothing can possibly justify the Gestapo tactics that the state has employed in this matter,” he said.
He maintained that invading people’s homes in the middle of the night and subjecting their families and loved ones to what he described as intimidation and trauma was unacceptable.
“The storming of people’s homes in the middle of the night and the brutalisation and traumatisation of their families, loved ones and households is archaic and barbaric,” Fani-Kayode said.
In a strongly worded conclusion, he compared the administration of then-President Muhammadu Buhari to a long list of authoritarian leaders and historical figures, including Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot, Augusto Pinochet and Idi Amin.
“Clearly Nigeria is saddled with a President that is a cross between Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, King Leopold II of Belgium, Josef Stalin, Pol Pot, Papa Doc Duvalier, Augusto Pinochet, Jean-Bedel Bokassa, Mobutu Sese Seko, Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, Count Vlad Dracula and Idi Amin all rolled into one. May God help us,” he said.
The statement was issued by Fani-Kayode on October 9, 2016, amid nationwide controversy over the DSS raids and arrests involving serving judges.
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