Ben Dunno, Warri
Niger Delta activist and convener of Pan Africa Movement for Peace, Human Rights and Social Justice (PAMPHSJ), Comrade Rex Anighoro, has faulted the media prosecution of Air Peace CEO, Mr. Allen Onyema, over alleged money laundering charges by the United States.
Specifically, he berated Lauretta Onochie, the Social Media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, for her provocative and unwarranted statement over allegations against Onyema, describing such unguided comments as too hasty and conspiracy to rubbish his good image.
It would be recalled that the United States Department of Justice had indicated Allen Onyema, also the founder of Foundation for Ethnic Harmony of Nigeria, of bank fraud and money laundering of over $20m that was allegedly moved from Nigeria through his United States bank account.
He is also accused of corrupting the United States banking system through the use of falsified documents for the purchase of aircraft for his airline business.
A warrant of arrest signed by a certain Justin Anand, an American magistrate of the US District Court of the Northern District of Georgia has been issued against him.
But at news conference in Warri, Comrade Rex Anighoro, carpeted the Presidency which he claimed had concluded on the trial of Allen Onyema, going by the recent outburst of the Presidential Media Aide, Onochie, who appeared to be speaking the mind of President Muhamadu Buhari.
While admitting that it was appropriate and legally binding for the accused person to go to the United States and clear his name of the allegations against him, Anighoro, noted that it would amount to witch hunting, conspiracy and wickedness for the government to pass media judgement on a man who has not being tried.
He stated that the calculated blackmail and unwarranted attacks on Onyema by Lauretta Onochie, was unbecoming, adding that for the president and other senior members of the Presidency to have kept mute in the face of this unguarded statement, shows that the Presidency may not be unconnected to Onyema’s ordeal.
According to him, “Laurreta Onochie whose contraband patriotism to Nigerians and proclivity to boot licking is sourly legendary has been making despicable public statements especially through her twitter handle ‘Laurestar.’
“This statement highly suggests that President Muhammadu Buhari, his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and other top officials of the Presidency have unofficially entered the guilty verdict on Barrister Allen Onyema.
“It is now becoming very obvious that they are the ones truly behind the travails of Barrister Allen Onyema.
“She has unapologetically made it pellucid on behalf of herself and those she is a spokesperson for that she viewed through the lenses of suspicion, mischief and hate, the patriotic gesture and sacrifice of Barrister Allen Onyema rising up to evacuate stranded Nigerians in South Africa in the wake of the Xenophobic attacks.
“Lauretta Onochie in a show of contempt and media conviction of Barrister Allen Onyema claimed that Barrister Allen Onyeama had an ulterior motive when he evacuated stranded Nigerians in South Africa free of charge.
“In a series of tweets, the Presidential aide said she was not fooled by Barrister Allen Onyema’s “heroism” because she knew something was up, adding that the Air Peace boss knew America had him where they wanted him.
“Lauretta Onochie tweeted thus: ‘When the scales suddenly fall off their eyes, we must give it time because it’s either they are pursuing something or something is pursuing them.’
“Same Lauretta Onochie as a Presidential aide for President Muhammadu Buhari, speaking as one commissioned to ignite public hate and spread the virus of guilty verdict against Allen Onyema unsubstiantiatedly accused him as one of the plunderers of the commonwealth of the Niger Delta when she tweeted thus: ‘Those of us from the Niger Delta who are direct beneficiaries of the sufferings that emanated from the looting of our wealth will tackle them.’
“’It’s our war that is being fought. Laws, Nigerian or American go after those who break them … Nigerians are not keen on tales by moonlight. Let him return to America and face his accusers!’”
Speaking further, he said: “There is no justification for Onochie passing judgement on Onyema when the law has not declared him guilty,” stressing that the casting of aspersions on Onyema by Onochie, a Nigerian Presidential aide fuels suspicion that the Presidency is deliberately working with some forces to pull down Onyema’s personality and business investment.”