Falana Calls For Ozekhome, Others Release •Gives FG 30-Days To Address Insecurity

mike ozekhomeHuman right lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Femi Falana, has appealed to the kidnappers of Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and four other people along the Benin-Auchi road in Edo State last weekend to release them unhurt without any further delay.

In a statement on Saturday Falana said, “Having put them and their families through an undeserved emotional and psychological stress and trauma, the kidnappers should set the victims free.”

Lamenting the federal government’s inability to guarantee the security of Nigerians, Falana said “Section 14 (2) (b) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulates that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government but the federal government has shown beyond any shadow of doubt that it is grossly incompetent and incapable to secure the life and property of any citizen in the country.”

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According to him, armed robbers, kidnappers, terrorists, assassins and other nihilist forces have taken over the monopoly of violence from the ill-equipped and ill-trained police and armed forces of a ‘failed state’.

The rights lawyer added, “If the federal government does not adopt urgent and concrete measures to guarantee the security of life and property within the next one month, I am going to mobilise Nigerians to rise up with a view to taking their destiny in their own hands.”

While condemning the kidnapping of anyone under any guise, Falana said it is unfair to abduct the victims of official corruption, irresponsible governance and abuse of power.

Falana stressed that all steps should be taken to secure the release of Mr. Ozekhome and others, who are currently being held against their will in a yet-to-be identified location by their abductors.