Falana: President Buhari has to obey rule of law on Dasuki

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Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, yesterday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to order the immediate release of Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) on bail “in strict compliance with the orders of the Federal High Court, of the Federal Capital Territory and the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, court without any further delay.” Falana and Buhari In a statement, Falana urged President Buhari to obey the rule of law “having assured the international community of the commitment of the Federal Government to respect the rule of law and the sanctity of fundamental freedoms at the domestic and international levels.” The statement reads: “About two years ago, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) was charged with a treasonable felony at the FCT High Court and money laundering at the Federal High Court. “Both trial courts admitted the Defendant to bail pending trial.

Even though the Defendant met the stringent bail conditions the Federal Government refused to release him on bail in a brazen demonstration of official impunity. “It was at that juncture that the Defendant dragged the Federal Government to the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to justify his illegal detention. In its ruling on the matter, the ECOWAS Court declared the detention of the defendant illegal, null and void, awarded N15 million damages in his favour and ordered the Federal Government to comply with the orders of the Federal High Court and Federal Capital Territory High Court by admitting the Defendant to bail pending trial forthwith.” “In a judgment delivered last week, the Federal High Court declared the detention of the Defendant illegal and unconstitutional and ordered his release on bail pending trial. Although the Defendant has once again met the bail conditions, the Federal Government has once again refused to release him on bail in line with the terms of the latest judgment of the Federal High Court.

“However, in a speech to mark the 20th anniversary of the International Criminal Court at the Hague, Netherlands, President Buhari said that the co-operation of Nigeria with the Court “is borne out of our strong belief in the respect for the rule of law and human rights, and in our firm commitment to the sanctity of fundamental freedoms at international and domestic levels as ingrained in the objectives for establishing the Court.” “Having assured the international community of the commitment of the Federal Government to respect the rule of law and the sanctity of fundamental freedoms at the domestic and international levels President Buhari ought to order immediate release of Colonel Dasuki (rtd) on bail in strict compliance with the orders of the Federal High Court, Federal High Court of the Federal Capital Territory and the ECOWAS Court without any further delay”.