Senator Abdullahi Gumel has urged Nigerians not to express fears over the Executive Order 6, recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Gumel told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday that only “thieves” would be afraid of an order meant to help preserve assets wrongfully acquired.
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The lawmaker, who is Chairman, Senate Committee on States and Local Government Administration, said it was not meant to witch-hunt Nigerians except those looting the resources of the country for personal interest.
He said: “If somebody is kicking against, it may be that the person is a thief. The order stipulates that if you are identified before the conclusion of the rule of law, those assets should be forfeited.
“If the court gives you back your assets, then you can take them back.
“A situation where court decision drags for more than a year and a suspect keeps spending proceeds of a questionable asset is no longer going to be tolerated with the signing of the order.
“Also, suspects will no longer be allowed to siphon proceeds of questionable assets.”
On concerns that the order was part of plans by Buhari to deny Nigerians their rights, the lawmaker said there was no cause for concern.
He, however, said Nigerians who had questions to answer should be ready to submit to the relevant authorities.
He said: “One of the senators said he was picked by the Department of State Security Service.
“Will they just go and pick somebody up without anything. Why did they not pick me.
“So, nobody is above the law. Let everyone submit to the law and you will sleep quietly in your house and go about your businesses afterward.”
Buhari had on July 5, signed the Executive Order 6, which seeks to restrain owners of assets under investigation from carrying out further transaction on such assets.
Reactions have continued to trail the signing of the order with some legal experts describing it as unconstitutional and undemocratic.
They further argued that it would usurp the powers of the National Assembly while rendering the maxim, “nothing is a crime that hasn’t been established,” inconsequential.
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