Herdsmen killing: Falana threatens to drag FG to court

Lawyer and human rights crusader, Femi Falana

A human rights activist and renowned lawyer, Femi Falana(SAN) has threatened to drag the Federal Government to Court over the killings in the country and compel it to prosecute all the merchants of death in our country.

Falana who stated this in Elizade University, Ilara Mokin in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State during the 3rd annual Registry lecture with the titled: “University Autonomy in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges” said the essence of the case was to challenge the government to be alerted to its responsibilities.

Falana said “I already have a case in court seeking to compel the torment to ensure that ranches are established around the country; happily now, the government has taken that decision.

“But with respect to the killings, I am using the Attorney General of the Federation and the state Attorney Generals with a view to compelling them to prosecute all the merchants of death in our country.

“Specifically, I want them charged with illegal possession of firearms because I have established that they have no licences to their arms.

“We also want them charged with culpable homicide or murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and the like because if we do not address the impunity with which these killings are carried out, we will not get to the end of them. This is the essence of that case, to challenge the government to be alert to its responsibilities.

Falana also asked the Federal Government to obey the various court orders granting bail to former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki and Sheik Ibrahim El Zarkyzaky, and frowned over Federal Government continued disregard to court order.

According to him, the Federal Government had exhibited total contempt for the rule of law, with its refusal to obey court orders on regular basis.

He said “the disobedience to court order is alien to democratic practice. It perhaps more painful to me than most Nigerian lawyers because I got court orders obeyed under successive military regimes in our country including under the Buhari-Idiagbon junta.

“To now witness the situation whereby court orders are now treated with disdain by a civilian government is simply unacceptable.

“We are taking steps to ensure that the order granting bail to Colonel Sambo Dasuki is complied with, we are taking steps to ensure that the order for the release of Sheik Ibrahim El Zarkyzaky and his wife is complied with, including the case of the journalist that is being detained illegally, John Sabi.

“We have gone to court and I can assure you, it is not that the government disregards all court orders, the government picks and chooses which court orders to obey and which one to disobey. But we want to ensure that the rule of law is fully established in our country.”

The human rights activist who described as commendable, the steps taken by President Muhammadu Buhari to restore order and dignity of the country through the fight against corruption, however, frowned over the recovery attempt of some looted wealth.

He charged President Buhari to put some measures in place to discourage people from embracing corruption saying “there is no way you pay people starvation wages or you make it impossible for them to receive their gratuity and pension when they retire and you will expect that they will not engage in corrupt practices.

“If a committed public officer has no wherewithal to lay his head after retirement or there is no money to educate his children, if he has access to government fund, he may be tempted.

“So, if you want to fight corruption, you must ensure that housing is made available and cheap for Nigerians; and that those who have no money to educate their children are assisted by the government.

“The government should expand the health insurance scheme to cover all citizens so that if you address basic problems confronting people, they will not engage in corruption. “