Human Rights activist and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana has berated Nigeria’s Minister Of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed over his scathing remark against the Lagos EndSars panel report, Njenje Media News reports.
The legal luminary wondered why Mr. Mohammed will have to jump the gun when the state government who set up the panel had not yet officially reacted to the submissions in the report.
Read below his Press Release:
FALANA &FALANAS CHAMBERS
FG IS NOT COMPETENT TO REJECT THE REPORT OF OKUWOBI
JUDICIAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
On November 18, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari held a meeting in Abuja
with Mr. Anthony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State. During the
the meeting, President Buhari said that the state governments in the country would
have to take steps on the reports of their panels before the federal government
acts on the recommendations. In particular, the President said, “We at the federal
have to wait for the steps taken by the states, and we have to allow the system
to work. We can’t impose ideas on them. The federal government has to wait for the
reaction of the states.”
But in an utter display of executive rascality, Mr. Lai Mohammed, the Minister of
Information has overruled the President by rejecting the report of the Lagos Panel
on behalf of the Federal Government. By not waiting for the reaction of the
states” the Minister has overruled the President of the Republic. As if that was not
enough the Minister decided to insult the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide
Sanwoolu by rejecting the report of the Judicial Commission instituted by him
under the Tribunal of Enquiry Law of Lagos State. Thus, the Governor who is
currently studying the report has been presented with a fait accompli by the
Minister. As far as Mr. Mohammed is concerned the Governor must toe his line
since the Lagos.
Mr. Mohammed has described the 309-page report of a Judicial tribunal as “fake
news”. As a lawyer of many years’ standing, the Minister ought to have known
that it is the height of arrogant contempt to describe the report of a Judicial
Commission of Enquiry constituted under the Tribunal of Enquiry Law as “fake”. It
is regrettable to note that the Minister has failed to realize that the Lagos State
Government is not an extension of the Federal Government but a sovereign entity
under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Since the name of the
Federal Government is not clothed with any power under the Tribunal of Enquiry Law the purported rejection of the report by the Minister ought to be treated with
disdain by the Lagos State Government.
In a press conference held on October 20, 2021, Mr. Mohammed had recalled
that the National Economic Council had “directed State Governors to immediately
forward copies of final reports of the panels to their Attorneys-General for prompt
arraignment and prosecution of all indicted persons. Where incidents in the
reports relate to matters of discipline, in addition to prosecution, NEC urged the
Nigeria Police Force to take disciplinary action on the affected officers in line with
the provisions of the Police Act 2020.” Has Mr. Mohammed overruled the
collective decision of the National Economic Council?
However, it is pertinent to point out that Mr. Mohammed’s comment on the
report lacks originality as it is a mere regurgitation of the jaundiced views of a
couple of aggrieved individuals. The two individuals have tried, albeit
unsuccessfully, to discredit the findings and recommendations of the body. In a
desperate attempt to mislead the Governor, both aggrieved persons have been
campaigning for the total rejection of the report because of the so-called
discrepancies and inconsistencies contained in the document. No doubt, these
individuals are entitled to express their opinions on the report of the
Commission. But the call for the rejection of the report is illegal in every material.
In December 2015, the Nigerian Army massacred hundreds of Shiites in Zaria and
hurriedly buried their bodies in a mass grave at Mango in Kaduna State on the
orders of the then Chief of Army Staff. Even though Mr. Mohammed said that the
report of the genocidal attack was a hoax the Justice Garba Judicial Commission
of Enquiry instituted by the Kaduna State Government confirmed a casualty figure
of 348 Shiites. Six years thereafter, the Authorities have ignored the
recommendation of the Judicial Commission that the culprits be prosecuted.
Lagos Judicial Commission of Enquiry accepted the evidence of forensic experts
to the effect that 99 dead bodies were dumped in the various mortuaries in Lagos
State during the protests. Mr. Mohammed has described the massacre as “fake
news”.
Finally, Mr. Mohammed’s callous comment on the cold murder of unarmed
citizens at the Lekki Toll Gate is a sad reminder of his own experience under the
same forces of brutalization. On August 8, 2014, Mr. Mohammed, the then
Publicity Secretary of the APC had left Lagos for Osogbo, Osun State in support of
Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s re-election bid. Later that night it was reported that
he had been kidnapped by a team of hooded operatives of the State Security
Service. I was aroused from my sleep by Govenor Aregbesola wno requestec
to assist in searching for Mr. Mohammed. However, a couple of hours later,
was relieved when it was reported that he had regained his freedom. But the PDP
dismissed the kidnap story as a hoax emanating from the fecund imagination of
Mr. Mohammed. Having completely crossed to the other side of the political
divide, Mr. Mohammed conveniently regards news of the tragic massacre of
unarmed citizens as fake.
Mr. Mohamned’s steps undermine the rule of law and social justice in the land.
President Buhari should call him to order.
FEMI FALANA SAN
