Arrest and prosecute Boko Haram sponsors–Falana
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana(SAN) yesterday pleaded to the federal government to arrest and prosecute those behind the nefarious civilities of the dreaded Boko Haran insurgence in the country.
Falana who counseled the government in a statement issued in Lagos urged the government not to delay in the prosecution of those named in connection with the insurgence to the International Criminal Court (ICC) arguing that the allegations against them are too weighty to be ignored or gloss over.
“In view of the gravity of the allegations of crimes against humanity committed by the sponsors of the Boko Haram sect, President Jonathan should refer the suspects to the Special Prosecutor of the international Criminal Court.
“Any local investigation conducted by the Federal Governnent in the circumstance may be manipulated by vested political interests”, he stated.
The lawyer recalled that the international negotiator, Rev. Stephen Davies engaged by President Jonathan to enter into dialogue with the Boko Haram sect with a view to securing the release of the abducted 275 Chibok school girls revealed the identities of the sponsors of the terrorist organisation.
He therefore queried what is delaying the government in taking proactive measure by prosecuting those named in criminal court.
“In a well publicised televised interview in London last week, the international negotiator disclosed that a former governor of Borno state, a former chief of army staff and a former top official of the Central Bank of Nigeria have
provided funds and other logistics to the nihilist body for the terrorist attacks which had claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people in the country.”
He noted that the disclosure was backed with some detailed accounts which
confirmed some information in the domain of the security forces in the country.
Falana also recalled that the Ambassador Usman Galtimari Committeee on insurgency in the north east zone set up in 2011 by President Jonathan had recommended the prosecution of “some politicians who sponsored, funded and used the militia groups that later metamorphosed into Boko Haram.”
” In a White Paper issued on the report of the Committee the Federal Government accepted the recommendation and ditrected “the National Security Adviser to coordinate the investigation of the kingpins and sponsors to unravel the individuals and groups that are involved.
“Although the White Paper was published in May 2012 the directive of the federal government has not been carried out up till now because the
individuals involved are said to be connected to the Presidency.
“However, the special envoy of the Federal Government has just named one of the “kingpins and sponsors” of the terrorist sect.
“Having regard to the report of the Oputa Panel on human rights abuse in Nigeria from 1966-1999 which indicted the Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha juntas for bombing certain “subversive” individuals and extra-judicial killing of others for phantom coup de tat the alleged involvement of military officers in the terrorist activities of the Boko Haram sect cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand”, he stated.
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