Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN has urged the Attorney-General of the Federation and Ministry of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN to arraign 400 sponsors of terrorism identified by the Federal Government earlier in the year.
He made the demand in a Freedom of Information (FoI) request dated August 3, 2021, and forwarded to the AGF’s office.
In the letter, Falana demanded information on the charges to be levelled against the suspects.
Recall that Malami’s spokesman, Dr Umar Gwandu on May 31 assured that the process that would lead to the arraignment of about 400 alleged Boko Haram sponsors and financiers arrested in a nationwide operation in April was still ongoing.
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The suspects, including bureau de change operators, were nabbed in Kano, Borno, Abuja, Lagos, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kaduna and Zamfara.
“On May 4 2021, it was widely reported widely by the media that the Federal Government had concluded arrangement to prosecute about 400 alleged sponsors and financiers of terrorism in Nigeria.
“In the said publication, your office assured the nation that the suspects would be arraigned after the industrial action embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).
“In view of the attacks being unleashed on law abiding citizens by groups surgents in several parts of the country, we strongly commend the move by the Federal Government to prosecute the suspects who were reported to have been arrested in a nationwide operation a few months ago.
“We, however, request that our law firm be furnished with information with respect to when criminal charges were filed against the suspects since the strike by JUSUN has since been called off.
“Kindly ensure that we are furnished with the requested information within 7 days of the receipt of this letter in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011,” Falana wrote.