‘FG may not unfreeze #EndSARS protesters account’
The Attorney-General of the federation, Abubakar Malami has said the Federal Government is still contemplating options allowed by the law if or not to unfreeze the bank accounts of 20 #EndSARS protesters.
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday set aside the order it made on November 4, 2020, freezing accounts linked with some promoters of the #EndSARS protesters that took place across the country last year.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed, in the ruling, ordered all affected banks to “immediately unfreeze the affected accounts.’
The AGF who spoke on Sunrise Daily on Channels Tv regarding the court order said a lot of factors have to be considered as regard compliance with the court order. According to Malami, the Federal Government has multiple options before complying under the law.
“We need to take in a lot of factors with particular reference to the compliance with the court order and within the context of striking a balance, the options that are available are multiple,” he said.
“One, the consideration of or a possibility of wholehearted compliance with the court order; that is, comprehensive, unconditional compliance with the order relating with the unfreezing of the #EndSARS account.
“But, that does not take away the right of government to give a further consideration when the need arises, a consideration, for example, of exercising the right of appeal against the order, if the need arises, coupled with the right of stay of execution of the order or perhaps, application of variation of order, among others.
Malami explained that while the government has decided to exercise these rights and appeal of variation of the court order or an appeal for setting aside the order or perhaps stay of execution of the order, the government has not breached any order.
Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, counsel to the #EndSars protesters, however, said the Federal Government had nothing to act on to freeze the accounts of the protesters. He said it is a violation of constitutional provisions that guaranteed the rights of Nigerians to protests.
Falana also asked CBN to stay out of politics and stick to the business of banking.
