Kinsmen of one-time Defence Minister, Lt.-Gen. Theophillus Y. Danjuma (rtd.) have petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, appealing to him to prevail on Danjuma to stop violating the rights former Executive Director, Tita-Kuru Petrochemicals Limited, one of the companies chaired by the retired General.

The Concerned Citizens of Taraba in an Open Letter signed by the Chairman, Adi Yohanna, and Secretary, Bulus Paul, alleged that Danjuma was not happy that Manasseh, a Jukun stock like him, resigned his appointment. The powerful ex-General, according to the group, invited the police to quiz Manasseh over some financial dealings in the company and has continued to use his vast connections to make life difficult for him in defiance of court orders.

The group said: “We also understand that all the accounts managed by Manasseh have been audited by KPMG Auditors and there was no indictment of any sort bordering on mismanagement of funds. As a result of a suit instituted by his lawyers (Rickey Tarfa, SAN and Co) at the Federal High Court Ikoyi, Lagos, with Suit No. FHC/L/CS/853/13 the court ordered on 13th August 2013, among others, that the arrest of the Applicant by officers of the Nigeria Police Squad Fraud Unit, Milverton, Ikoyi, at Zeina Suites Limited on No.1 General Ogbemudia Boulevard Road, Lekki Phase 1, Lekki, Lagos, without any legal justification is wrongful, illegal and unconstitutional as it is a gross violation of the Applicant’s Fundamental Human Rights as guaranteed as guaranteed by Sections 34, 35 and 44 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended).”

The Concerned Citizens of Taraba expressed surprise that despite the court orders Danjuma was still pushing the police to instill fears in Manasseh by stopping him and his wife from travelling out to London on January 13, 2014, for example.

The group called on Jonathan, Acting Governor of Taraba State, Senate President, Inspector General of Police, President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and civil society/human rights groups local and international to prevail on Danjuma “to allow the young man carry on with his life without any form of harassment,” adding: “The IG should check the excesses of the Special Fraud Unit under CP Tunde Ogunsakin who no longer obeys court orders.”

•Photo shows Gen. Danjuma.

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