28th October, 2013
Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, has vowed to sue the Nigerian government if the bill passed by the country’s National Assembly, that received the assent of President Goodluck Jonathan, to deport Nigerians convicted in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries to Nigerian prisons, is implemented.
Falana, who stated this while delivering a lecture at a rally organised by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in Mushin, Lagos State, western Nigeria over the weekend, also urged Nigerians not to accept the call for National dialogue by the Federal Government, saynig it is just an extended town hall meeting.
“You cannot take the views of Nigerians to the National Assembly. Besides, National Conference is not provided for in the constitution. It is an extra constitutional exercise.
“Those convicted in any country of the world should serve jail terms over there. Not only are UK prisons far better than those in Nigeria, before a non-citizen is deported, certain extradition processes are conducted on the accused,” he stressed, adding that what is recognised as offence in the UK may not be seen as such in Nigeria since situations and environments differ.
He said the national dialogue was “just a ploy to sink Nigerians in confusion and elongate his (Jonathan’s) tenure. The time is not right.
“Jonathan and his men are only toying with the Nigerian project by calling for National Conference, and at this time, close to elections,” he said, suggesting that the Nigerian constitution be amended to provide for a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) where Nigerians can debate issues affecting them.
Falana, who noted that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, reported that it had no document for the purchase of the N255 million controversial armoured cars for the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, lamented that the Nigerian Army now operates in 29 states of the country because of insecurity, a situation he said had never happened in the history of the country.
“Do you need the military to conduct elections?” he queried, suggesting that the Sovereign National Conference which would address such issues would better be discussed immediately after the 2015 general elections.
He said most of the crimes and offences committed by officers of the Nigeria Police were because the force was under-funded, adding that that is why the officers extort money to run their stations.
Mrs Gloria Egbuji, Executive Director, Crime Victims Foundation (CRIVIFON) and Mr. Malachy Ugwummadu,supported Falana and enlightened the gathering on their rights as Nigerians, and causes and prevention of crime in the society.
“The chicken has now come home to roost, and if this conglomeration of different ethnic nationalities will continue as one, it has become imperative to discuss. However, if we must discuss. There are several factors which must be considered,” Ugwummadu said.