Emmanuel Ukudolo
Lagos, Nigeria, Oct 19, 2016 – Human rights activists, Mr. Femi Falana today described the proscription of the Shiites Islamic Movement in Nigeria by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam El-Rufai as illegal and unconstitutional.
Falana who was speaking on the subject, Safety of Journalists and the culture of impunity in Africa at the occasion to mark the 30th anniversary of the murder of Late Editor-In-Chief of NewsWatch Magazine, Mr. Dele Giwa said no state government has the right to proscribe any society.
The proscription of the group by the governor has engendered bloodletting with scores of members of the group killed in Kaduna last week by the army and the police under pretext of enforcing the proscription.
Besides, Falana whose speech was presented by Ugwummadu Malachy alleged that with the assistant of the rampaging troops, youths were reported to have set fire on properties of members of the Islamic movement.
“In justifying the ban on the movement, the state government is said to have relied on the provision of Section 45 of the constitution”, he said but that development has no basis in law.
“With respect, a state government has no power to proscribe any society in Nigeria. In Peace Corps V Inspector General of Police(2012), the federal high court held that the proscription of the plaintiff without a court order could not be justified in law”, he said and expressed optimism that the Federal Government will restrain the Kaduna State Government from plunging the country into another religious war”, he said.
He also condemned illegal killing of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) by security forces for agitating for recognition of the Sovereign State of Biafra and clamping into jail of leader of the group, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.
He called on government to address issues raised by IPOB in the spirit of negotiation with militants in the Niger Delta and the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
“In view of the ongoing negotiation between the federal government and the Niger Delta Avengers, the demands of the IPOB members should be addressed by the government. An administration that has entered into dialogue with the satanic Boko Haram sect for the release of the Chibok girls should not hesitate to withdraw charges against the IPOB leaders and invite them to negotiation table” he said.
Falana who condemned what he called media hypocrisy for criticising the police for putting handcuffs on high profile criminals without extending same to petty criminals canvassed for the treatment of criminal suspects in strict compliance with the provision of the constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. He urged the media to defend the human rights of all Nigerians including the Shiites and the IPOB members and other victims of human rights abuse in Nigeria.
In his remarks at the occasion, Chairman Lagos State chapter of the NUJ, Mr. Deji Elumoye said that the theme of the anniversary, Safety of Journalists and the Culture of Impunity in Africa is quite apt following recorded incidents of unresolved killings , molestation and attacks on journalists after the murder of Dele Giwa.
“Prominent among them are the killing of Godwin Agbroko, Omololu Falobi, Abayomi Ogundeji, Bayo Ohu and Edo Ugbagwu”, he said.
According to him, it is a matter of worry that journalists could be subject of attack in the course of carrying out their duty as Forth Estate of the Realm.
“Not quite long ago, a photojournalist, Mr. Benedict Uwalaka and Executive Director and Chairman Badagry Prime were nearly killed with the complicity of the security agent”, he said, adding that with several unresolved murders, Community to Protect Journalists(CPJ) has ranked Nigeria 13th on the 2015 Global Impunity Index which spotlights countries were journalists are killed and their killers go scot-free.
“It is disturbing to not that from successive government, attacks on journalists have continued with absolute impunity and much have not been done to bring the attackers to justice”, he said and called on the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police to reopen investigation on the death of Dele Giwa.
