By Giwa SHILE
Aformer Executive Chairman of Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mrs Mimi Oribibi-Azape, has alleged that policemen invaded her private residence in Makurdi and made away with her personal vehicle, Toyota Hilux, and undisclosed items.
Oribibi raised the alarm on Wednesday in Makurdi.
She said she was away when the officers besieged her house on Tuesday evening without a search warrant.
Oribibi, who is eyeing the Benue North East Senatorial seat, had alleged that the police invaded her private residence while she was absent and took away the vehicle and other valuables yet to be identified.
Oribibi, who was recently sacked by Gov Ortom during a major cabinet shakeup, alleged that the people who invaded her house were police personnel sent by Ortom to take away the vehicle.
She described the act as bizarre, claiming that even if the governor wanted to recover an official vehicle in her possession, a Prado Jeep, he should have written to her on his intention to recover it.
The Senatorial aspirant said she had written to the governor through her lawyers intimating him of her intention to challenge her sack in court because it contravened the conditions contained in her appointment.
She said a 30-day notice to sue had already been served on the governor and said this was to enable him decide either to pay her entitlements for the remaining period of her tenure or recall her to work.
She also questioned the decision to invade her house in her absence without a search warrant and described the act as illegal.
“I am no longer an appointee of the governor; he does not have any right to authorize police personnel to bash into my house just like that without a search warrant.”
In a reaction to the alleged police invasion, the Spokesman for the Benue Police Command, DSP Moses Yamu, said that the command was not aware of the alleged invasion and did not authorise any of its personnel to carry out any raid.
He, however, said the command had ordered full investigation into the matter and assured the general public of its resolve to remain neutral in discharging its lawful duties.
“The command is not aware and did not authorise the raid of anybody’s house.”
He, however, said that the Benue government had a task force saddled with the onerous responsibility of recovering vehicles from former government appointees.
“Information is that the State Government has a task force saddled with the responsibility of recovering government vehicles from former government and political appointees.
“The Commissioner of Police, however, has ordered immediate investigation into the allegation, while assuring the general public of the command’s resolve to remain neutral in discharging her lawful duty.”
