‘Release All Petty Thieves From Prison’ — Falana Threatens To Mobilise Lawyers Against Buhari After He Pardoned Ex-Govs Nyame, Dariye 

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has threatened to mobilise lawyers to protest against President Muhammadu Buhari if the presidential pardon he granted to former governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame is not extended to ‘petty thieves’. 

According to Falana, it was discriminatory for President Buhari to grant pardon to convicts on the basis of “class and gender” when the country’s constitution guarantees equal rights for all citizens. 

The president had pardoned 159 convicts across different correctional facilities on Thursday, including ex-governors Nyame and Dariye who were respectively serving 12 and 10 years’ jail terms for corruption. 

Their remission was approved at the National Council of State meeting presided over by President Buhari and attended by former military heads of state and ex-presidents, amongst others, at the State House, Abuja. 

Falana reacted to development while delivering a speech at the first anniversary of the late Afenifere’s spokesman, Yinka Odumakin’s Lecture and Book Presentation which was held at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel.

“All petty thieves in our prisons should be released. Under Section 17 of the 1999 Constitution, there shall be equality and equal rights for all citizens.

“Section 42 of the Constitution says there shall be no discrimination on the basis of class and gender, so you cannot take out a few people on the basis that they belong to a category or section of the society.

“I can assure you that if the government did not release others, I am going to call on lawyers whose clients are left in custody to come to court and challenge the discriminatory treatment on their clients.

“Just two weeks ago, a Nigerian was jailed for stealing N1,000 in Abuja; the accused pleaded with the judge that he had no food but the judge jailed him for six months.

“When we are talking of justice and fair play, if you want to pardon some set of people, then you must also extend presidential pardon to petty thieves in the prisons.

“This is because if the big thieves are being asked to go, then they must also extend the facility to other Nigerians,’’ said Falana. 

Speaking of the late Odumakin, Falana said:  “Yinka remained a symbol of justice and we are gathered to celebrate his legacy. He was a man of honour, hope and consistency; a man who gave hope to the masses.’’