ONUESOKE CONDEMNS EFCC'S TREATMENT OF FORMER KADUNA GOVERNOR, EX-MINISTER AND TWO OTHERS: Says It's Illegal and Unconstitutional

"I REFUSE TO AGREE WITH THESE TREATMENT IN THE STRONGEST TERMS"....Sunny Onuesoke 

Thursday, 31st of May 2018 saw the arraignment of the former governor of Kaduna state, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC before a Federal High Court in Kaduna.

With the arraignment in court and the subsequent remand of the accused persons at the Convict Prisons in Kaduna, many have continued to react to this development describing it as unacceptable, humiliating and an attempt to invite opposition.

Human Rights Activist and Environmentalist, Sunny Onuesoke has condemned the display and publication of the mugshots of the accused persons as an eyesore, unconstitutional, illegal and unlawful.

Onuesoke, in a statement issued on Friday, said; "This eyesore treatment of Muktar Ramalan Yero and others reportedly by the EFCC is, to say the least, unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful". 

"It is against the sacred doctrine of innocence enshrined both in the Nigerian Constitution and the Shari’ah (See Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999). It is a clear violation of the right to dignity of human person provided by and under Section 34 of the Constitution. It is an indication that Nigeria is gradually descending into a state of anarchy and dictatorship", he stated.

According to Onuesoke, a one time governorship aspirant in Delta state, "Corruption, is a disease that threatens Nigeria which must be fought". 

But, this is not fighting corruption. It is naked persecution, pure and simple. EFFC is fast becoming a lawless institution and our judiciary must step up efforts to enforce Constitutionalism.

"I advise Ramalan Yero and others who might have suffered this treatment to file a suit for the enforcement of their constitutional and statutory right", the Human Rights Activist advised.

"I urge every well meaning Nigerian to oppose this kind of degrading treatment, condemn it and speak up against it. Don’t be complacent! If you think it is Ramalan Yero today and so there is no problem or it is happening under PMB and you trust him, then, you have missed the whole point", he stressed. 

The point is that if we allow this government to violate the law with impunity in this manner because PMB is in power and we trust him, that will give any other government that may come later, to do worse and their intention may not be pure. Beside, the law must obeyed regardless of circumstances.

"This treatment is worthy of condemnation and I do condemn it in the strongest possible terms! I urge you to do so too", Onuesoke said.