A human rights group in Nigeria, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has insisted that the anti-corruption bodies in the country, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission(ICPC) and other related
offences and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) should begin immediate and thorough investigation into the alleged Money laundering recently raised against the first son of Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola,Kabiru, alleging that Governor Aregbesola and his
allies have been working round the clock to sweep the mindboggling allegation of money laundering under the carpet.
The rights group also declared that Governor Aregbesola and his son; Kabiru did not deserve any apology from any quarter over the issue, because appropriate authorities in the land were yet to investigate the matter, not to talk of unnecessary apology.
CHRSJ however challenged Governor Aregbesola and his wife, Sherifat to come out openly and swear with the “HOLY Q’URAN” that their son was not quizzed for money laundering, describing the development as barbaric, evil, ungodly, anti-people and wicked act on the part of Governor Aregbesola and his family against the people of the State.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Executive Chairman of the rights group, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, which a copy was made available to newsmen in Osogbo at the weekend, after an emergency meeting of the group on the state of the States in Nigeria, urged Governor Aregbesola to come out and explain to the people of the State where he kept the dwindling Federal Monthly allocation accrued to the State since November 2014 till date ,noting that “if Governor Aregbesola does not want the good people of the State to believe the
allegation of money laundering raised against his son, Kabiru in recent time, he must explain to the public where he kept their allocation since November 2014 ”.
Comrade Sulaiman further stressed that if such serious allegation of that nature was raised against anybody from another clime in the land, Mr. Aregbesola and his allies would not take it lightly with that person, insisting that Governor Aregbesola was trying all means to sweep the matter under the carpet, asking rhetorically that if Kabiru Aregbesola was not arrested or quizzed for money laundering, where was Osun State dwindling allocation for period of six months now?.
Rights activist urged the people of the State not to accept the position of the State government headed by Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the matter, recalled that former Aregbesola’s Commissioner for finance
, Mr. Wale Bolorunduro was arrested last year in Delta State,
but denied the report until later when he came out to declare to the whole word that he was truly arrested in Delta State during the burial ceremony of father- in- law of his colleagues in the cabinet, adding that Aregbesola and his companies have been a “pathological liars” that always made a “blatant lies” over the governance of Osun State since they came into power.
According to CHRSJ boss, “It is high time for the anti-corruption bodies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) ,Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and Other related offences (ICPC) and National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) to investigate the
alleged money laundering raised against Governor Aregbesola’s son, Kabiru and bring out the truth of the matter .The plain denial of such mind boggling allegation by the parties involved in the matter will not help the incoming government of General Muhammadu Buhari in its fight against corruption in the land.
“We want to declare unequivocally that the alleged money laundering was not trumped-up issue as being claimed in some quarters, because those who saddled with the responsibility of investigating such matter are yet to say a single statement on the issue, believing that in any
rumour, there will be element of truth.
“We also use this medium to sympathize with the good people of Osun State, particularly, the Osun workers over non-payment of their salary and other allowances since six months ago and failure of Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola to explain where he kept the dwindling Federal
monthly allocation accrued to the State from Federal government for over six months ago now”.
He therefore alleged that Governor Aregbesola and his co-travelers had used the larger percentage of meager resources due for the State from Federation Account to acquire chain of business in some part of the country and beyond.
