Human rights activist, Femi Falana, has issued a stern ultimatum to the Nigeria Police, demanding that the protesters currently held in prison be formally charged in court by August 25, or face legal action.
Falana, a senior lawyer, also condemned the authorities for obstructing legal representation for the detainees, which has resulted in their continued imprisonment.
In a statement titled ‘HALT THE CLAMPDOWN ON PROTESTERS’, Falana highlighted the severity of the situation.
“Out of the 2,111 arrested suspects, 1,403 have been arraigned in various courts,” he noted. “Painfully, the suspects were ordered to be remanded in prison custody due to a lack of legal representation.”
The lawyer criticized the systemic denial of legal support, pointing out that despite the Nigerian Bar Association’s public offer to provide legal assistance, many detainees were still left without counsel.
He added, “We have also confirmed that individual lawyers who had applied for the bail of the detained suspects in police stations were not informed that they were going to be arraigned in the courts.”
Falana further argued that this denial of legal representation is a clear violation of the suspects’ constitutional rights, stating, “We submit that the decision by the authorities to deny the suspects legal representation constitutes a violent breach of their fundamental right to fair hearing guaranteed by section 36 of the Constitution and article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.”
He also pointed out the stark disparity in the treatment of ordinary citizens compared to politically exposed persons accused of financial crimes.
“This is highly discriminatory and illegal on the ground that politically exposed persons who are arrested for looting the treasury to the tune of several billions of Naira are usually informed in advance of the dates and of their arraignment in the courts. Such highly placed suspected looters are always granted bail in liberal terms and even authorized by trial judges to travel abroad for medical treatment,” Falana stated.
Falana’s remarks underscore a growing concern about the apparent double standard in the Nigerian justice system, where ordinary protesters face harsh treatment while influential figures often enjoy leniency.
