The senate has summoned Abubakar
Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), over alleged violations of
human rights and provisions of the constitution by the executive arm of
government.
Malami is expected to brief the
senators on the basis for President Muhammadu Buhari’s “controversial”
executive orders.
The resolution of the upper
legislative chamber was sequel to a motion sponsored by David Umaru, senator
representing Niger east.
Last week, Buhari signed an
executive order seeking to restrain owners of assets under probe from carrying
out further transactions on such properties.
Mixed reactions have trailed the
order.
While moving the motion on
Wednesday, Umaru accused the executive has usurped the lawmaking functions of
the national assembly.
“Executive orders have also
effectively usurped legislative and judicial powers of the national assembly
and the judiciary as enshrined respectively under sections 4 and 6 of the
constitution,” Umaru said.
“There is lack of accountability
for human rights violations by security agencies and other militant elements
including armed herdsmen, heavy-handed violent responses to peaceful protests
as exemplified by previous crackdown an agitator for the Independent State of
Biafra (1908) and the recent violent clashes between the police and suspected
members of the IMN who were protesting the release of their leader, lbrahim
EL-Zakzaki in Abuja and Kaduna respectively.”
He added that the country’s
democratic credentials had become questionable as a result of the alarming
cases of “alleged state-inspired human rights violations and consistent
constitutional infractions perpetrated by agencies of government.”
On his part, Shehu Sani, senator
representing Kaduna central, said executive orders should comply with the
country’s laws.
“We may be comfortable today
because we occupy this office but when we are out of this place, we are likely
to fall victims,” the senator said.
Contributing to the debate,
Eyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, said the country is in
trouble under the current administration.
“If this hallowed chamber cannot
speak up here, then we might as well pack up. We are in trouble under this
particular regime and it is our right under the constitution to fight for our
human rights,” Abaribe said.
The upper legislative chamber
urged the federal government to desist from violating the principle of
separation of powers and adopt the rule of law as the guiding principle of
government actions.
It also urged to set up a
judicial commission of inquiry to investigate all cases of human rights abuse
allegedly committed by the security agencies.
No date was given as to when
Malami will appear before the lawmakers.
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