A prominent Pro-Democracy and Non-Governmental organisation- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has lambasted the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for sticking on it’s gun to disobey Courts’ bail orders in favour of Colonel Sambo Dasuki the erstwhile National Security Adviser and the Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria Sheikh Ibrahim el-zakzaky.
HURIWA in a media statement in reaction to the media briefing on Tuesday by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Media aides who insisted that the duo of Colonel Dasuki and Ek-zakzaky would not be freed in obedience to the numerous Federal High Courts’ bail orders because whilst El-zakzaky is being kept in protective custody the immediate past National Security Adviser has other pending matters in other Courts.
But the National Coordinator of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) dismissed the current administration as being recklessly lawless and in gross breach of the Constitutional principles of Separation of Powers and section 6 of the Constitution which grants sole Judicial powers of the Federation to the Courts of competent jurisdictions including the various divisions of the Federal High Court that have in numerous binding rulings granted immediate bail orders to both Dasuki and El-zakzky.
Submitting that President Muhammadu Buhari ‘s flagrant disrespect of the Courts of competent jurisdictions amounted to a civilian coup de tat and tantamount to impeachable offences just as the Rights group expressed consternation and absolute disappointment with the National Assembly for failing to commence impeachment procedure against President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to respect both the Nigerian Federal High Courts and even the Economic Community of West African States’ Court which ordered the immediate release from detention of the Department of State Services of the former National Security Adviser.
“The current administration should blame itself should anything untoward happen to our democracy because the wilful disobedience of the Courts by the President and theSecurity agencies under the Presidency is an invitation to anarchy and chaos because democracy can only thrive in atmospheres of respect for the Rule of law, Respect for the Fundamental rights of all citizens and absolute compliance to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended).
Why is the Presidency continuing in the gross violations of lawful orders of the Courts and at the same time urging Nigerians to defend democracy in the case of a military incursions into the democratic government? This administration must be told that the wilful disobedience of the Courts is a breach of the Constitution which is as bad as military overthrow of constituted democratic order.
Let the Nigerian Parliament call President Muhammadu Buhari to order so the security agencies are not allowed to recklessly demolish the Constitutional principles of Separation of Powers which is the sine qua non for the sustainability and survival of viable democracy “. HURIWA also condemned the Presidency for shamelessly defending the acts of treacherous disobedience of competent courts of law when even like in the matter between Ek-zakzaky and the Federal Attorney General the Federal High Court, Abuja, had ordered the unconditional release of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of Shiite sect in Nigeria, and his wife, Malama Zeatudden, from detention, within 45 days, an ultimatum that expired over two months now.
Besides HURIWA said the court also ordered the Federal Government to provide a new accommodation for El-Zakzaky in Zaria or any northern town of his choice.
The court, presided by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, also awarded El-Zakzaky and his wife N50 million as general damages.
HURIWA dismissed the lame excuse offered by Garba Shehu the Special Media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari that El-zakzky is being given protective custody because Zaria and Kaduna are insecure just as the Rights group said the media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari was being clever-by-half because clearly he lied if he said Kaduna state is unsafe for the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria.
“The Presidency official should cover his face in shame for manufacturing a fake excuse for the gross disrespect of the Courts of competent Jurisdictions by his principal”.
“The Federal Government can not offer protective custody to a man who has been grantes unconditional freedom by the Court. On what moral ground or even legal platform is the government standing on to continue in its illegality of flagrantly violating court orders? It’s a huge shame indeed that officials of government can elevate falsehoods to the level of social worship”.
