'We won't let FG violate your rights', Lawyer tells Obasanjo

dimeji akinloye

June 11, 2018 5:14 AM

Falana, however, said the human rights community cannot defend Obasanjo if the EFCC has grounds to arrest him.

Human rights lawyer and and Senior Advocate of Nigeria,

He said the human rights community will not let the Federal Government violate his rights.

Falana stated this while speaking on a political programme on Channels Television on Sunday, June 11, in reaction to Obasanjo's cries that President Muhammadu Buhari is after his life.

The former president had accused the Buhari administration of planning to hang a crime over him with the aim of silencing him from expressing his concerns over the state of the nation.

Obasanjo, who had repeatedly urged Nigerians to vote out Buhari in 2019, also alleged in a statement on Friday, June 8, that his name was on a security watch list and that his life is under threat.

In response to the allegations, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said Obasanjo is just trying to distract the the government with frivolous allegations.

Falana said Obasanjo should not be bothered as the human rights community will fight at his side if his rights are not respected.

He said, "General Obasanjo has nothing to worry about, we will ensure that his rights are not violated.

"We are going to adopt the same attitude when he and the late General (Shehu) Yar’Adua and others were tried illegally and sentenced to death."

Falana, however, noted that the human rights community cannot defend Obasanjo if there are grounds to arrest him to account for his own actions.

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He said they cannot stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) form investigating him (Obasanjo).

Falana stressed that since the former president has said that he is ready to be probed, the human rights community will ensure that his rights are not abused.

dimeji akinloye