A Lagos based lawyer and human rights activist, Tope Akinyode, threatened a criminal suit against all attendees of late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari’s burial ceremony for disobeying the social distance order currently in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The attendees include; Garba Shehu, Presidential Spokesperson; Babagana Monguno, National Security Adviser, NSA; Ambassador Lawal Kazaure, Chief Protocol Officer; Yusuf Sabiu, Special Assistant to the President; Musa Haro Daura; nephew to the President; Ahmad Rufai, Director-General of National Intelligence Agency, and Bashir Ahmed; Personal Assistant on New Media to President Buhari.
This newspaper reported that many Nigerians criticised the presidency for not obeying the social distance order, on Saturday during Mr Kyari’s burial. Before now, Nigerians who violated the restriction of movement order by government amidst ongoing Coronavirus pandemic lockdown have been arrested and prosecuted.
Speaking with POLITICS NIGERIA, Mr Akinyode said: “on 19th April 2020, a burial ceremony was organized for the remains of former Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari. During the process, the participants violated the lockdown and movement restriction order of government and other sundry regulations.”
‘Since then, those who attended the gathering are yet to be brought to book.”
Mr Akinyode said law must be equal for all, “The poor cannot receive maximum punishment for an offence which the rich are pardoned for, otherwise, we will orchestrate a system of injustice and wickedness. To that extent, I shall institute a criminal proceeding against every known person who violated extant regulations by attending Abba Kyari’s burial”.
“By virtue of Sections 77 (a) and 81 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act, C42, LFN,2004, I am empowered by law as a private citizen to institute criminal proceedings against any offender of law before the Magistrates Court without a fiat of the Attorney General.”
“Against the foregoing, I shall institute criminal proceedings against Garba Shehu, Presidential Spokesperson; Babagana Monguno, National Security Adviser, NSA; Ambassador Lawal Kazaure, Chief Protocol Officer; Yusuf Sabiu, Special Assistant to the President; Musa Haro Daura; nephew to the President; Ahmad Rufai, Director-General of National Intelligence Agency, Bashir Ahmed; Personal Assistant on New Media to President Buhari and others whose name I am able to obtain,” he said.
He told POLITICS NIGERIA that the lawsuit will be filed before the close of work today before the Magistrate Court of the FCT.
Nice one, defender of the defenceless