Legal representatives of Mike Okiro, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, have written a letter to the National Chairman of the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), Olanrewaju Suraju, demanding an apology for what the representatives are calling a “malicious and baseless petition” written to President Muhammadu Buhari to prosecute Mr. Okiro for corruption.
The petition, which was signed by Mr. Suraju, stated that Mr. Okiro should be prosecuted for his “known corrupt practices dating back to his days as Inspector General of Police.”
In the petition, it was stated that the anti-graft agency resolved to write directly to the President after unsuccessful attempts to have the ICPC and the EFCC look into prosecuting Mr. Okiro.
Their letter dismisses the allegation that Mr. Okiro was involved in the harassment of Aaron Kaase, who used to be a Principal Administrative Officer in the Press and Public Relations Unit of the Police Service Commission, but was later suspended after he said that Mr. Okiro diverted funds for his personal use.
In the letter, the legal representatives insist that no indictments had come from the petition’s allegations that Mr. Okiro had attempted to defraud the Police Service Commission of N275 million.
Mr. Okiro, they claim, was vilified by the petition’s claims. Furthermore, they stated,
Mr. Okiro’s attention was brought to “libelous publications” by “phone calls and text messages by his family, associates, mentees, friends both from Nigeria and abroad.”
“The offensive comments in this petition have been physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically devastating to Our Client.”
They proceeded to request for a retraction or rejoinder, per Mr. Okiro’s order, neglect of which could lead to further legal action.
SaharaReporters contacted Mr. Suraju for his response to Mr. Okiro’s lawyers and he said “we will not apologize to anyone who defrauds the Nigerian public out of their funds.”
He added, “we are more than happy and willing to meet him [Mike Okiro] in court unless he runs away from us.”
