Dasuki: Boycott courts if FG fails to honour latest bail order granted Ex-NSA

HUMAN rights lawyer, Dr Kayode Ajulo has called on the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to boycott the courts if the Federal Government fails to honour the latest court order granting bail to the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Mohammed Dasuki.

Ajulo in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday said the continued flouting of court orders by the Federal Government in respect of bails for Dasuki was a danger to democracy and the Rule of Law.

According to him, “The Federal Government should not be allowed to decide which orders it will obey because by so doing, it dangers the authority of the judiciary as an arm of government and offers little hope to citizens that their fundamental human rights can be guaranteed”.

According to him, despite assurances by President Muhammadu Buhari not to encroach on the functions of the other two arms of government in his inaugural address on May 29, 2015, the president has not kept faith with the promise as his administration has continued to decide which court orders it should obey or not.

“Three years down the line, this solemn vow seems to have been kept in the breach as the Presidency is intent on having its way on court rulings it feels are not according to its liking.

“I hope the Federal Government will obey the latest court order by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu on bail for former NSA. I must emphatically point out that the failure of the Federal Government to allow Col. Dasuki enjoy bail which has been granted to him severally is a danger to our nascent democracy and those of us who are ministers in the temple of justice ought to cry out before we are buried in the sands of impunity.

“Take note that if Dasuki, who is part of the few power elite could be treated with such impunity, then there is no such guarantee that other Nigerians/clients who are granted reprieve by the courts to the dissatisfaction of the government will be allowed their liberty as granted by the courts”, he said.

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Ajulo said if the Federal Government fails to honour the bail order by Justice Ojukwu within seven days of fulfilment of the bail condition as stipulated by the court, the NBA should boycott the courts and urged the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) to resign his position.

He stressed that even if the NBA fails to act in this direction, he will boycott the courts and galvanise like minds to press home his demand to show that Nigeria is not the Banana Republic.

Ajulo further said that the Federal Government cannot be allowed to cherry pick which judgment to obey, adding that, it is an irony that FG finds it expedient to obey an order of the court on the NFF, but not on Dasuki?”

Recalled that Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the federal high court sitting in Abuja on Monday granted bail to Dasuki, bringing to six of such bail orders, all of which the federal government has refused to honour.

Dasuki was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2015 over alleged diversion of $2.1billion arms funds.