Mobitel CEO tells EFCC: We’ll meet in court

By REMMY NWEKE

The released chief executive officer (CEO) and president of Mobitel Nigeria Limited, Mr. Johnson Salako, has reiterated his resolve to drag the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to court over his unlawful arrest and subsequent detention.

Sunday Champion recalls that the Federal High Court at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, last Friday ordered the immediate release of Mobitel’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Johnson Salako, by EFCC.

The court order came following the EFCC’s unlawful arrest and detention of Mr. Salako on Thursday June 25, 2009 until last Friday, July 3.

Salako’s release was premised on the suit by Mobitel Nigeria for unlawful arrest and detention, just as the suit sought for his immediate release and restrained EFCC thereof from harassment, arrest or detention or any intent thereof of Mobitel’s chairman, Mr. Akinsanya, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Affirming the readiness of the Mobitel to drag EFCC to court, the Chief Commercial Officer of the telco, Mr. Okon Inyanam disclosed that Mr. Salako should not have been arrested in the first instance and applauded the decision by the Abuja High Court, declaring that it’s a victory for the rule of law and due process.

"Subsequently, it is Salako’s desire to sue the EFCC for infringing upon his personal liberty as a citizen by unlawfully detaining him without trial for offences," he said, stressing that procedure has been advanced to take EFCC to court over the illegal arrest and detention before now.

Inyanam lamented a situation whereby an agency of government begins to arrest innocent citizens and detain them for lengthy period without any basis in law and that such development portends grave danger for Nigeria.

"EFCC cannot be above the law. Mr. Salako’s release at the instance of the High Court in Abuja must be celebrated as a clear judicial statement against arbitrariness and impunity," he said.

Recalling that the events were the outcome of the recent tussle between the Minister of Information and Communications and industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on the issue of the recent bid rounds for the 2.3 GHZ spectrum license and the subsequent involvement of the EFCC.

Industry observers have described the detention of Salako and his team at Mobitel as part of the resultant power-play, which sends bad signals to other credible local and foreign investors who may be interested in Nigeria’s fast-growing telecommunications industry, even as they urged President Umaru Yar’adua to intervene to avoid sending the wrong signals to the international community.

Mr. Salako was further confirmed to have been receiving medical attention. after being denied access to his doctor during the period of his unlawful incarceration.

Equally, the detention of Mr Salako by the EFCC was based on allegations that NCC took the wrong step in granting the former management of Mobitel a waiver over its outstanding fiduciary responsibilities to the Federal Government.

Whereas EFCC was said to have acted in disregard of a recent NCC’s submission to the Mrs Farida Waziri-led agency, which stated that after due reconciliation of Mobitel’s case files "it became apparent that the company (Mobitel) had been over-billed and had already over paid its debts."