Mohammed Adoke, SAN, has forwarded a memo to the National Human Rights
Commission, directing the agency to investigate allegations of rights
abuse contained in the letter written by former President Olusegun
Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The memo, with reference number HAGF/NHRC2013/Vol2/5, was dated
December 23, 2013, and addressed to the Executive Secretary of the
Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe.
The AGF specifically asked the NHRC to investigate allegations
relating to human rights violations, which are contained in pages nine
and 10 of Obasanjo's letter.
Part of the memo, with the caption, 'Re: Before It Is Too Late,' read,
"May I draw your attention to the above and the attached State House
Memorandum dated December 23rd 2013 in respect of the above subject
matter.
"I am to request you to investigate the allegations bordering on the
human rights violations contained on pages 9-10 of the latter dated
2nd December 2013, written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo,
GCFR, to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, attached to the
memorandum under reference.
"In order to properly delineate the issues within your sphere of
competence particularly as other issues raised in the letter are being
investigated by appropriate agencies of government, I have decided to
reproduce the relevant paragraphs below.
The relevant paragraphs in Obasanjo's letter, which were reproduced in
the memo, read, "Allegations of keeping over 1000 people on political
watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and training
snippets and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely
acquiring weapons to match for purposes like Abacha and training them
where Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, it cannot augur
well for the initiator, the government and people of Nigeria. Here
again, there is lesson of his to learn from anybody who cares to learn
from history. Mr. President would always remember that he was elected
to maintain security for all Nigerians, not for personal or political
ambition or interest of anyone. The Yoruba race adage says" the man on
whose head coconut is broken may not live to savour the taste of the
succulent fruit". Those who advise you to go hard on those who oppose
you are your worst enemies. Democratic politics admits and is
permissible of supporters and opponents. When the consequences come,
those who have wrongly advised you will not be there to help carry the
can. Egypt must teach some lessons."
"Presidential assistance for a murderer to evade justice and
presidential delegation to welcome him home can only be in bad taste
generally but particularly to the family of the victim. Assisting
criminals to evade justice cannot be part of the job of the
presidency. Or, as it is viewed in some quarters, is he being
recruited to do for you what he had done for Abacha in the past?
Hopefully, he should have learnt his lesson. Let us continue to
watch."
The memo from the AGF to the NHRC followed Jonathan's explanation in
his response to Obasanjo that he would direct the security agencies
and the Commission to investigate the former president's letter and
make their findings public.
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