TheCable

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has kicked against the continued detention of his cronies by law enforcement agencies.

Atiku said Babalele Abdullahi, his son-in-law, and Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie, his lawyer, are being detained for identifying with him.

On Saturday, operatives of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Abdullahi, who is also the finance director of group of companies owned by Atiku.

The security agents were said to have searched his residence as well as his office before taking him along with them.

The incident occurred more than two weeks after Giwa-Osagie was also picked by the anti-graft agency for alleged money laundering.

Writing via his Twitter handle on Monday, Abubakar,  former vice-president, urged “those persecuting” the two to bear in mind that justice and peace is for all Nigerians.

According to him, “my son in law and lawyer have been detained, one for 3 weeks and the other recently. They are paying the price for supporting me.

“I urge those now persecuting them to remember that a government’s mandate is to pursue peace and justice for all, and not just those who support them.”

My son in law and lawyer have been detained, one for 3 weeks and the other recently. They are paying the price for supporting me. I urge those now persecuting them to remember that a government’s mandate is to pursue peace and justice for all, and not just those who support them.

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) March 4, 2019

Atiku had earlier said Abdullahi’s arrest was aimed to discourage him from challenging the outcome of the election in court.

He lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) Muhammadu Buhari with over three million votes margin.

TheCable reached out to Tony Orilade, EFCC spokesman, for comments but he was yet to respond to inquiries made when this report was filed.