‘Empty vessels make noise’ — Malami hits Nigerian-born Canadian minister over Nnamdi Kanu

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, has described Kelechi Madu, minister of justice and solicitor-general of Alberta, Canada, as an “empty vessel” for criticising the repatriation of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Kanu was arrested in June and extradited to Nigeria to face trial for alleged treason.

Malami had stated that the IPOB leader was “intercepted through the collaborative efforts of Nigerian intelligence and security services”.

Malami did not state where the separatist leader was arrested, but TheCable learnt that Kanu, who is based in the UK, was lured to an African country with a promise of cash donations and was then picked up.

Reacting to Kanu’s extradition, Madu, in a post on his LinkedIn page, described the AGF as “a disgrace to the rule of law, and not worthy to be an officer of the court”.

“He has shown himself to be a bigot who does not understand what it means to live in a pluralistic society governed by the dictates of the rule of law,” he said.

Madu then urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure Kanu’s immediate release.

Responding in a statement on Wednesday, the AGF, through his spokesperson, Umar Gwandu, described the ideas attributed to Madu as “outrageously ignoramus opinions that are eccentric and weird to the legal profession”.

“It is unfortunate for someone who claims to be a lawyer of a status of a Solicitor General of a provincial State of Alberta in Canada to fault the internationally recognised manner through which Nnamdi Kanu who jumped bail was re-arrested and brought back to face trial,” he said.

“It was abundantly clear that bench warrant was lawfully and judiciously procured through judicial process by a competent court of law, whose bail condition Nnamdi Kanu breached with impunity. There was no illegality in the entire process and the question of illegality does not even arise.

“Where was the so-called Madu when Nnamdi Kanu was inciting violence against the country? Why, as a lawyer, would Madu support a fugitive who jumped bail and accused of terrorism and treasonable felony? What stopped Madu from voicing out dissent on the atrocities of Kanu and their group?

“It is important to educate the likes of Kelechi Madu that both Nigeria (his country of birth) and Canada (where he claims to be practising law) are signatories to the Multinational Treaty Agreement where, among others, fugitive fleeing justice in nations with similar agreement could be brought back to face justice.

“It is a pity that as a Solicitor General of a province, Madu failed to keep himself acquainted with the provisions of general laws of the country where he stays as well as international laws.

“As the saying goes “an empty vessel makes loudest noise”. We advise the so-called “learned man” to shelve his arrogance and learn to study the law books before opening his mouth to disgrace himself before the right thinking members of the society, thereby attracting to himself criticism that may propel doubt about his suitability for the job he claims to be doing now, after moving out of his country of origin in which he fails to excel.”