Falana asks Osinbajo to sanction Lai, Garba Shehu over comments on Zakzaky, Dasuki

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, has asked Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to sanction public officers who said that Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), and Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, Shia leader, would not be released.

Falana made this request in a letter to the acting president.

At a media chat with state house correspondents in May, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said Dasuki was still being detained – despite a court order for his release – because of other charges against him.

He also said El-Zakzaky, whom a court ordered his unconditional release, was still in custody for his own safety.

In an interview on The Osasu Show, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, said the government disregarded the court orders in the interest of national security.

In the letter, Falana asked the acting president to direct the State Security Service (SSS) to release the detainees.

“Since we have a responsibility ‘to resist all who might seek to sow confusion and hatred for their own selfish interests’ we urge Your Excellency to sanction the overzealous public officers who have publicly denigrated the rule of law by saying that the valid and subsisting orders of competent courts for the release of Sheik El-Zakzaky and his wife would not be obeyed by the federal government,” he demanded.

“Notwithstanding the commitment of the federal government to operate under the rule of law the same individuals have continued to give the dangerous impression that the federal government would not comply with the orders of the federal high court, the high court of the federal capital territory and the community court of justice to the effect that Col Sambo Dasuki (retd) be admitted to bail.

“In view of the resolve of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to end impunity in the country we urge Your Excellency to use your good offices to direct the State Security Service to release Sheik Elzakzaky and his wife from further incarceration in compliance with the orders of the federal high court. At the same time Col Dasuki (retd) should be admitted to bail as ordered by the municipal and regional courts.”

Falana also asked Osinbajo to direct the “Nigerian army to investigate and prosecute the military personnel responsible for the brutal and callous massacre of the 347 members of the Shia community at Zaria in December 2015”.