The presidency has given its position on the raid on home of former vice-president Namadi Sambo.
It said it will not interfere or give special treatment to former top officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Armed operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) last week raided Sambo’s residence.
Reacting, Sambo, in a statement on Saturday by his media adviser, Umar Sani, lamented that the invasion of his 1, Alimi Road un-occupied residence in Kaduna on Wednesday, was the fifth in six months.
Speaking on the development, a top government official told Punch: “This government does not dictate to anti-graft agencies how they should carry out their duties, so far they are doing so based on the rule of law.”
The official added that the anti-graft agencies did not have to take instructions from the Presidency before carrying out their lawful duties.
“They do not have to clear anything from the Presidency while carrying out their legitimate duties. So, the need to get clearance did not arise in this particular case (Sambo’s case) you are talking about. We learnt about it the same way you and other people learnt about it.”
On speculations that the Jonathan administration reached a deal ahead of Buhari’s inauguration that the president and vice-president not be probed, he said “One of the major promises made by the President and the APC was that they will fight corruption. This administration has been doing that. I am not aware that there is any exception”.
Asked if Sambo’s recent meeting with the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, was over any probe, the official said: “It was a courtesy visit by former vice-president Sambo. He had a one-on-one with the Acting President. I was not at that meeting, so I was not privy to their discussion”.