Constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has called for the prosecution of sacked Department of State Security (DSS) Director-General, Lawal Daura, for treasonable felony over the “crude invasion and condoning off of the National Assembly” by his operatives.
He said all those who authorised the siege should also be prosecuted.
“The full weight of the law must be visited on Daura and all those usurpers who believe that Nigeria is nothing but their footstool of hegemonic self aggrandisement and ego satiation,” Ozekhome said in a statement.
The Senior Advocate described the development as “a very sad day for democracy in Nigeria,” adding that it was not enough to simply sack Daura.
Ozekhome said: “Sections 37 to 43 of the Criminal Code and sections 410 and 415 of the Penal Code, which operate in the the southern and northern parts of Nigeria, respectively, deal with the offences of treason and reasonable felonies.
“While treason is punishable by death, treasonable felony is punishable by life imprisonment.
“All those who participated in the national shame that has caused Nigeria monumental international odium, opprobrium and derision, must surely fall into one of these limbs.
“It is treasonable felony punishable with life imprisonment for anyone to device, by overt acts, to depose or levy war against the sovereign, or to compel changes of policy, or to intimidate or overawe Parliament.
“The sections provide, inter alia, that anyone who levies war against the state in order to intimidate or overawe the president or governor of a state, or who conspires with others, either within Nigeria or outside Nigeria, to levy war against Nigeria, or instigate a foreigner to invade Nigeria with an armed force, is guilty of treason and is punished by death.
“It is treasonable felony punishable with life imprisonment, for anyone to become an accessory after the fact to treason, or fails to report to appropriate authorities of his knowledge of people attempting to commit treason, or forms an intention to commit the offence of treason, or prepares, advises, aids, or participates in any act of war against a traditional chief or a band of citizens.
“Let the law now take its full course. It is no respecter of any person. Enough is enough. Nigeria cannot descend lower than this lowly abyss, this unenviable nadir.”
He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to join Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in condemning the incident.
“Let the president exonerate himself, for once, by speaking up loud and clear in condemnation of this subversive and criminal acts against Nigeria’s sovereignty.
“He should not hide behind the facade of the now well-known usual condescending ostrich-like pretentious taciturnity and indifference. No. It is not acceptable to the overwhelming shocked and angry Nigerians,” Ozekhome added.
In the same vein, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) also called for the investigation of Lawal Mr. Daura, over allegations of human rights violations, abuse of office and corruption.
In a statement on Tuesday, Falana said Daura shouldn’t have been appointed DSS DG because his tenure constituted a huge embarrassment to the government.
The senior lawyer said Daura was sacked for incompetence, adding that he exhibited empty arrogance and crass impunity.
He called on Daura’s successor to immediately release hundreds of people illegally detained in DSS custody.
Falana’s statement read: “Having regards to the fact that he was removed from the SSS for incompetence, Mr. Daura should not have been appointed as the DG of the security agency. He exhibited such empty arrogance and crass impunity.
“Daura constituted such colossal embarrassment to the federal government. I call on the acting DG of the SSS to release the hundreds of detainees being illegally held incommunicado in the SSS detention dungeon.
“I had a running battle with Daura over the illegal detention of many detainees, including Zamfara legislators, 2 Indian nationals, politicians, student leaders, journalists etc. He prevented the federal government from complying with the orders of the court to release Col. Sambo Dasuki, Ibraheem Elzakzaky and his wife, Zeinab Elzakzaky.
“He housed the fugitive, Abdurasheed Maina. He countermanded the nominations of the President and colluded with fifth columnists to sabotage the democratic process.
“Allegations of human rights violations, abuse of office and corruption which marred Daura’s tenure should be fully investigated.”
