>
Senator Bukola Saraki today appeared before the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee over the controversial importation of a bullet proof Range Rover jeep with fake document and its subsequent seizure by the Nigeria Customs Service.
He told the committee that he had nothing to do with the SUV’s importation.
He said: “We must protect this institution, that’s why I took time to be here to clear my name and charges against me.”
The importer of the vehicle, Mr. Tokunbo Akindele, was also at the hearing. He told the committee that the vehicle was not cleared for Saraki.
He said that “in 2015, we imported the bullet proof SUV for the company use, we later changed our minds, as we got an alternative”.
He said his company only got to know that the documents given to them by Customs was fake in 2017.
From the Senate’s tweets, it was gathered that the vehicle was consigned to Lanre Shittu in October, 2016 after Mr. Wale Tinubu had been in its possession.
How vehicle was linked to National Assembly
According to Senator Gobir, the senate buys cars from dealers, while dealers buy from importers.
Shittu said Tinubu approached him on how they can sell the vehicle which he then facilitated to be sold to the National Assembly and not Senate President Saraki.
“We requested for SUV documents from Mr Wale Tibubu of Oando, and we discovered they had fake documents from customs”, Shittu explained.
The committee adjourned sitting to Tuesday to allow the Customs to appear before it and explain the origin of the fake document.