*Says Reports In Local Media More Credible Than EU Mission Findings On 2023 Polls
*Says Nigerians’ Pains Caused By ‘Irresponsibility’ Of Ruling Class
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Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to speed up the investigation into the cases involving the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa and the embattled Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
While Emefiele was arrested on June 10 over allegations of terrorism financing, Bawa was quizzed by the secret services over allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Falana urged the DSS to arraign the duo in court if it has evidence of indictment.
He argued that the continued detention of Emefiele and Bawa did not reflect the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria urged the Nigerian government to handle the cases in line with the provisions of the law to avoid a situation whereby loopholes are exploited.
“Investigations should be speedily conducted, more so where allegations are made. I do not expect any delay in the investigation of the very serious allegation that has been made,” he stated.
“In the case of Emefiele, the State Security Services last year alleged his involvement in terrorism financing. Please, quickly do something about that. With respect to money laundering and other offences, take them to the appropriate agencies of government.
“In the case of Mr Bawa, we haven’t been told the offences he committed. I cannot speak very confidently with respect to the gentleman except to ask the government or the agencies involved to speed up an investigation and have them arraigned if they are indicted.”
Femi Falana, SAN, also, blamed the “irresponsibility” of the ruling class for the hardships brought on by the alleged fraud perpetrated by beneficiaries of the fuel subsidy regime and failed promises to reform the oil sector.
There is, therefore, a need for the Federal Government to act fast to alleviate the citizens’ sufferings, the human rights lawyer noted during a live.
“The government will have to move speedily to address the suffering of the people, undeserved pains inflicted on the people, because of the irresponsibility of the Nigerian ruling class,” he said.
“Whereas Gen Muhammadu Buhari had promised in 2015, ‘When I get to power, I am going to fix all the refineries.’”
President Bola Tinubu, in his inaugural speech on May 29, declared that “fuel subsidy is gone”, a move that has generated mixed reactions, given the stark hike in fuel costs nationwide.
According to Falana, what is important in the implementation of government policies is to look at the impact on the people.
“Now that it’s clear that those who initially applauded the removal of fuel subsidy are beginning to appreciate the enormity of the crisis that it has caused for the country are now mounting pressure on the government to fast-track the process of cushioning the effects of the removal,” he said.
“No doubt there was a lot of fraud that characterised the management of fuel subsidy and the government will have to investigate that.”
However, reacting to the development, the human rights lawyer said the reports by local media regarding the elections were “more credible” than what the EU election observers presented.
“I’m very reluctant to speak about the report of the EU observers team because it smacks of colonial mentality for us in this age and time to be celebrating the report of the EU observers,” Falana said.
“I have found reports in the local media much more credible than the report of the EU. We should not waste our time debating what the EU observers found.
“For instance, they were saying that about 97 people were killed. The local media have reported about 137 deaths and that has been confirmed by the human rights community.
“I can count other areas that one cannot rely upon.”
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