When in the last quarter of 2011, the immediate past governor of Kwara state and now chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki raised the issue of fraud in the oil subsidy regime, little did he know that he was stirring the hornet's nest.

The senator who represents Kwara central at the National Assembly had told some select journalists in Ilorin, a week after he raised the issue of fuel subsidy on the floor of the senate that he acted out of patriotism.

He had told his guest that billions of naira going into individuals pockets in the name of fuel subsidy could be channelled towards ventures that would bring about massive employment opportunities and economic buoyancy in all parts of the country.

But this reporter recalls that one of the journalists present at that meeting, stressed the need for Saraki to be prayerful over the 'dangerous' issue he had raised. The senator simply replied by a suggestive gesture and smile.

However, the events of the recent weeks have proved that journalist right. The newspapers were last week dominated by reports on an alleged invitation of the former chairman of the Nigerian Governors, Forum by the police Special Fraud Unit (SFU), in Lagos over an alleged N8.5 billion loan scam.

The loan was said to have been granted to some of the Saraki's companies by the defunct intercontinental bank plc.
According to the media report, SFU wanted the senator to come and clarify how the marginal loans allegedly owed the bank by his companies were written off.

Saraki's curious invitation by the SFU as at the time the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on fuel subsidy regime released its report, had prompted many, including aides, friends and even adversaries of the senator to think that it was a calculated attempt by some people not happy about the recommendations of the committee, to blackmail him.

One of the media aides of the senator, Alhaji. Mas'ud Adebimpe told LEADERSHIP SUNDAY, that his boss has been under intense pressure and condemnation from certain quarters since the time the house ad-hoc committee released its report.

He expressed delight that the report of the committee had vindicated his boss with its discovery of large scale fraud in the fuel subsidy regime as well as its indictment of top ranking Nigerians, including past and present public office holders.

But an indication that Saraki's purported invitation by the SFU might be a hoax after all, emerged on penultimate Friday as the senator who according to reports was billed to appear at SFU that day, was seen in Ilorin, his home town attending to the needs of his constituents.

He was at the Ilorin International Airport the following Saturday to receive Vice-President, Namadi Sambo who was there to commiserate with the Belgores over the death of Alhaja Fatimoh Belgore, wife of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Alfa Belgore.

Saraki later accompanied the Vice-President to the Belgores family house, off Emir's Road, Ilorin.

One of the groups that felt Saraki was being witch-hunted over his role in the fuel subsidy probe is the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) which has raised an alarm over the current travails of the senator.

The SNG was of the opinion that Saraki's alleged invitation by SFU was not unconnected with his fuel subsidy motion which has exposed the rot in the oil industry, alleging that the cabal was against the senator.

SNG executive, Tanko Yunusa, who stated this, said it was regrettable that since leaving office, no one had found it necessary to dig into the former governor's administration until now that he moved for the motion that exposed the stealing of the nation's funds.

Commenting on the developments the Secretary-General of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Chief Willy Ezugwu said, "the fallout of the motion is the hounding and antagonizing of Senator Saraki, by detractors who are beneficiaries of the sleaze embedded in the subsidy administration. These characters have moved to resurrect a matter that was earlier settled in the appropriate manner by bringing out one company out of 17 and using its transactions to persecute Senator Saraki.

"It is shameful that the hunted is now the hunter, it is only in Nigeria that members of the subsidy cabal can still raise their heads high and even be bold enough to start hunting the man who exposed their evil for Nigerians to see", Ezugwu said.

A leader of thought in Kwara state, Alhaji Shuaibu Adamu also lamented that Nigeria has lost moral values. Adamu, a former local government chairman in 1996, urged President Jonathan to speak up for the Senator.

Also, the president of Coalition of Civil Society Organizations For Transparency in Governance, Comrade Ibrahim Ali described the invitation as politically motivated and a battle against Nigerians who have shown the will and commitment in fighting corruption.

Meanwhile, Saraki has obtained an injunction from an Abuja High Court restraining the police from arresting him over an alleged N11 billion loan.

Saraki, in a statement signed by his media aide, Mr. Akintoba Fatigun, admitted that he was invited by the SFU.

Akintoba explained that, "Saraki has obtained an interim injunction restraining the Inspector-General of Police, his officers and agents from threatening to arrest him or infringe on his right pending the determination of the substantive suit on Thursday, May 26, 2012."

Motion of notice, was filed in Federal High Court 4, Abuja by his lawyer, Lawal Raban, and was served and duly received by the commissioner of police, Legal.

"As a law-abiding citizen, Senator Saraki has decided to seek legal redress to put a stop to what appears an orchestrated frenzy calculated at smearing his name, assaulting his dignity and intimidating his person through deliberately garbled accounts and serial leaks concerning loans granted to a company that he has no relationship with."