Attorney general of the federation and minister of justice Abubakar Malami has questioned the legal savviness of the solicitor-general of the Provincial State of Alberta in Canada, Kelechi Madu, over the latter’s comment on the arrest of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement on Wednesday by his spokesman Umar Gwandu, the AGF described the ideas attributed to Mr Madu as “outrageously ignoramus opinions that are eccentric and weird to the legal profession.”
He said, “It is unfortunate for someone who claims to be a lawyer of a status of a Solicitor-General of a provincial state of Alberta in Canada to fault the internationally recognized manner through which Nnamdi Kanu who jumped bail was re-arrested and brought back to face trial.”
Malami said it was abundantly clear that a bench warrant was lawfully and judiciously procured through judicial process by a competent court of law, whose bail condition Kanu breached with impunity.
According to him, there was no illegality in the entire process.
He said, “It is a common principle of law that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
“The self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed group of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has enjoyed representation by counsel of his choice all through the judicial process.
“He was never denied a right of choice of counsel or recourse to one, even when he symbolizes a proscribed association (IPOB) in law, and in fact, his association has been legally proscribed.”
“Where was Madu when Kanu was inciting violence against the country?
“Why, as a lawyer, would Madu support a fugitive who jumped bail and is accused of terrorism and treasonable felony? What stops Madu from voicing out dissent on the atrocities of Kanu and their group,” Malami asked.
He maintained that it was important to educate people that both Nigeria and Canada were signatories to the Multinational Treaty Agreement where, among others, fugitive fleeing justice in nations with similar agreement could be brought back to face justice.
“It is a pity that as a solicitor-general of a province, Madu fails to keep himself acquainted with the provisions of general laws of the country where he stays as well as international laws,” said Malami.
