FG complies with London court orders but disobeys Nigerian judges – Falana

Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, has accused the federal government of disobeying valid court orders in Nigeria while it complies with orders from Britain.

Granting a stay of execution for a $9.6 billion judgement awarded against Nigeria in favour of Process & Industrial Development (P&ID) Limited, Christopher Butcher, judge of a commercial court in London, had ordered that Nigeria deposit $200 million.

On Friday, Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the Federation (AGF), said a $200 million bond deposit has been made following the approval by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a letter to Malami on Sunday, Falana said the federal government did not give any precondition before obeying the court of its “former colonial master” as it does at home.

The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) asked the federal government to comply with court orders and release Omoyele Sowore, convener of the #RevolutionNow movement.

“It is however disturbing to note notwithstanding such deference to the courts of its former colonial master the federal government has continued to disobey the valid and subsisting orders of Nigerian courts and the court of justice of the Economic Court of West African States including orders for the release of political detainees and criminal suspects from unlawful custody,” Falana said.

– The Cable