Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reinstate 38 officers of the Nigerian army who were “prematurely retired” in 2016.
Speaking in an interview with journalists on Wednesday, Falana
said he had written a letter to Tinubu through Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general
of the federation, to seek justice.
BACKGROUND
In June 2016, the army authorities retired some top
officers.
Following media reports, the army announced that only 38
officers were retired, comprising nine major generals, 10 brigadier-generals,
seven colonels, 11 lieutenant colonels and a major.
The army had accused the retired officers of corruption and
partisanship.
Some of the dismissed personnel had accused the army of
denying them fair hearing, adding that they were unaware of the allegations
against them.
The retired officers had approached the national industrial
court and the ECOWAS court of justice to seek a reversal of their retirement.
The national industrial court had ordered the reinstatement
of some of the retired officers.
Despite court orders and petitions from groups, the army did
not rescind its decision.
‘ARMY SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED TO TREAT COURT ORDERS WITH
LEVITY’
Falana, who is counsel to the retired officers, said the
“illegal and forceful retirement” of the officers under former President
Muhammadu Buhari was “unfortunate and illegal”.
The human rights lawyer said Tinubu must intervene and
reverse the “infamous action”.
Falana said the Nigerian Army must not be allowed to treat
court orders and resolutions of the national assembly with “levity”.
“As the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, I
wish to inform President Tinubu that what happened to the 38 army officers
under the previous administration is incredible and unfortunate,” Falana said.
“I’m also using this medium to inform you that the infamous
action on the 38 officers is patently illegal and unjustified.
“The Nigerian army cannot and should not be allowed to treat
the valid and subsisting order of the National Industrial Court and the
national assembly resolution on the 38 officers with levity.
“Mr President, there is the need for you to intervene now
because if you fail to intervene, the premature retirement of these 38 officers
will send a wrong signal to serving military officers that it does not pay to
offer selfless service to Nigeria.
“We have also written a detailed letter to the president
through the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice,
Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), seeking justice and their reinstatement in line
with the national industrial court and the national assembly resolutions.
“We sincerely believe and confident that AGF Fagbemi will do
the needful and advise the president accordingly.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the national industrial court
had directed the reinstatement of the affected officers who had gone to the
court to challenge the act of injustice.
“But the then military authorities and the present one had
continued to defy the court’s order.
“Several of the officers who felt the army breached its
extant rules and regulations in carrying out the retirements also took their
complaints to the court to seek redress and clear their names. The court ruled
in their favour .
“The development was after their appeal to former President
Muhammadu Buhari, seeking his intervention and reinstatement but there was no
response from the presidency or the Nigerian army up to date.”
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