By Kelvin Ololo
As Nigerians marks it’s 59th independence days celebration, activists have said that the country is far back where it supposed to be since it gained her freedom from Colonial Master on October 1st, 1960 and call on citizens to wake up and hold the Government accountable.
These were intoned by dual guests on episode 166 of “the Dialogue With Agba Jalingo” on Hit 95.9 FM Calabar while discussing the topic: Nigeria 59 Independent Anniversary; Human Right And The Prerogative Of Mercy, How Far, So Far?
While responding, Bar. John Omilije, a Private Legal Practitioner decried that though Nigeria is on a move, at 59, the Nation is not where it should be, saying that with what is happening the country is tripping into dangerous moment.
His words: “We are not at the point we ought to be. But definitely we are moving toward somewhere. The trend at the moment if it not change, I am afraid Nigeria is tripping into a dangerous moment.
“If you look at what happened recently to some of our Judges and some of the things around, you will discover that the law has being replaced by jungle justices. Even within Cross River State, jungle justices is on the rise, we also heard report how Court orders are not obeyed.” He explained.
“Recently I visited the Prison and I discovered that even the order of the Governor Ben Ayade) that 34 persons should be set free, the Controller of Prison (at that time) have the audacity to review the order of the Governor, which is strange!
The essence of granting this mercy is to celebrate the independent of Nigeria, Nigerians were not given an impartial independence rather we have a total freedom, and if you are granting freedom to anybody, my take is that any one that was listed among the 34 should go home free and gain the freedom as the Governor has order.”
He further revealed that there are some accused persons who had been in prison custody for eight years without trial and called on Government and individuals to intervene.
Meanwhile on human right, Bar. Richard Inoyo who is the Executive Director, Citizens Solution Network, said that the Government is having serious problem on human rights violation, saying this on the account of arrest, detention without trials and refusal to grant bail to suspects that have been arrested in the country.
He inferred, “When it comes to human right violation I think this is where Government is having a very serious problem. Is something that all Nigerians need to look out for, and say this is not the country we where supposed to actually live in. And it is sad because most time when this rights are violated we think it’s about the individuals who are arrested, who are actually kept in detention without trials or the trial is being extended or something.
“For me I think if today is one man, this other persons problem, it may be yours! So it simply means that, the way we are right now, we all are growing a tyrannical Government that will end up swelling everyone. Nigerians must wake up and hold the Government accountable.
“The whole idea of the fact that the likes of Sawore is been granted bail and that bail is not being honoured and the likes of Dasuki and we are thinking these persons we don’t know them, they are not our relatives for that reason we should not talk. I think we are making a big mistake!
“I strongly believe that if it continue, the next two years we might end up having a lot of persons disappearing within this country and then we will not really know how to actually get them out.” He retired.
It would be recall that section 212 of 1999 constitution has stipulated the prerogative of mercy or executive clemency which empower the President and Governors to set free inmates on occasion such as tomorrow, however, Governor Ben Ayade set 34 inmate free on 27 May 2017 while President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to do so.
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