Buhari Once Jailed American Lady For 95 Years Without Evidence – Northern Leader

Ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday in Washington, a former presidential aide, Dr. Umar Ardo, has alleged that Buhari once jailed an American citizen, Mahmet Ben Chemb‎, for 95 years without evidence.

“There was this case of the wealthy American lady, Mahmet Ben Chembi, who brought in her $17 million from the US to invest in plumbing in the building of Abuja, but was framed of defrauding the Nigerian state and taken to Buhari’s military tribunal and jailed for 95 years without a shred of evidence adduced against her by the government,” Ardo alleged.

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Ardo, who made the disclosure on Sunday night in Abuja, said the imprisonment happened when Buhari was military Head of State in 1984.

According to him, the imprisonment then did not follow the rule of law and that there was no basis for it, buttressing the allegation that the president was currently persecuting members of the opposition in the country.

Ardo, who is the Secretary of Northern Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly, hails from Adamawa State further stated: “President Buhari is not new in taking extra-judicial means to deal with perceived enemies even when there were no evidence against them, and because Buhari is not known to be a democrat. There is no way he would abide by courts’ pronouncements on issues that have to with freedom of the people.

“Despite being sent to jail, the American lady was fined N500 million. It was the regime of another military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida that set up a Judicial Review Panel that reviewed the case and released her from jail.

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“President Donald Trump should ask his guest, President Buhari why he did that to his (Trump) citizen.

“There was also the case of a wealthy Nigerian woman resident in Saudi Arabia who returned to the country and was arrested on arrival at Kano airport, taken to tribunal and jailed 10 years for being in possession of N600. She had a five-year old daughter who was sent to jail along with her.”

He added, “No wonder, with the absence of kangaroo military tribunals in the current democratic setup, the government is unable to successfully prosecute and convict any of the so-called looters three years after coming to power beyond the pages of newspapers.”

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