CLASFON DECRIES OWO KILLINGS, ‘WEAK’ CHARGE ON DEBORAH’S CASE

The Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) has condemned the recent killing of worshippers at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State. 

In a communique made available to CITY LAWYER after its President-in-Council meeting in Calabar, the body also decried the filing of “weak charge” filed against suspects in the murder of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto.

Below is the full text of the communique.

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DEBORAH YAKUBU: ‘RULE OF LAW IN ABEYANCE,’ SAYS TAIDI

A presidential aspirant in the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Elections, Mr. Jonathan Gunu Taidi has decried the absence of rule of law in Nigeria, adding that the security agencies have failed to protect lives and properties.

Speaking as a discussant at the NBA Ikorodu Branch Bar Week, the immediate past NBA General Secretary said the situation “confirms our inability to evolve a workable template that suits our religious and cultural diversity.”

Below is the full text of his remarks.

REMARKS BY PAST GENERAL SECRETARY OF NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION JONATHAN GUNU TAIDI AS DISCUSSANT AT NBA IKORODU 2022 LAW WEEK

Protocol

It is a great honour to be asked to give a few remarks on the occasion of the Ikorodu Law Week. Although this event is an annual event, it is no less critical for the opportunity it provides for national soul searching, improving jurisprudence and elevating the bar and the practice of law in this country.

Everyday seems to bring  with it new challenges and even more invidious assault on the constitution and the laws we we pledge to uphold and defend.

The recent gruesome murder and decapitation of Ms Deborah Samuel within the premises of Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto is a sad reminder that the rule of law is in abeyance and our security apparatus has failed – assuming there was ever any to speak of. It also confirms our inability to evolve a workable template that suits our religious and cultural diversity.

More disappointing, in a catalogue already filled with disappointments, is the comment by the Nigeria Police that some of the perpetrators of this heinous act were not even Nigerians but foreigners from Niger Republic. This is first an indictment on the Nigerian Immigration Service particularly, and the opportunistic and visionless leaderships which over the years have successfully superintended over failure in every facet of our affairs as an “independent” nation where impunity has become our coat of arms. As I write this the papers are awash with news of the arrest of the nation’s accountant general for allegedly perpetrating an N80 billion fraud.

We have made corruption a byword for governance and abominable violence is the new normal. This attitude of just condemning the vile actions of criminals by our leaders, without any deliberate strategy or action to check the menace, has not and will not redress our regression into anarchy.

It is unacceptable that our security agencies are always caught sleeping on duty.  It is time to invest more in intelligence gathering than on weapons especially in the face of scarce resources.

I urge all participants here to fully contribute to the discussions on Nation Building: Our Collective Responsibility. As legal practitioners we must always remember that we are the light of the nation, and we carry the torch of enlightenment and progress.

I hope this particular Law Week helps spearhead a national rebirth that will lead us on the road to a more progressive and prosperous nation.

Thank you and God bless our fatherland.

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DEBORAH YAKUBU: NBA POSTPONES SPIDEL SOKOTO CONFAB

The Nigerian Bar Association has postponed its NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) Annual Conference earlier scheduled to kick-off this weekend in Sokoto, saying it is “not only for the safety of our conferees and guests, but as a mark of respect for the memory of the slain Miss Deborah Yakubu.”

In a statement made available to CITY LAWYER, the lawyers’ association expressed worry “not just by the chilling news of the murder of Miss Deborah Yakubu, but also by the sudden and sad turn of events and the deteriorating security situation in Sokoto State.”

Continuing, the statement personally signed by NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, added: “As such, having critically reviewed the current security condition in Sokoto, it has become apparent that we cannot guarantee the safety of our guest speakers, delegates and other stakeholders that have committed to attend the NBA-SPIDEL’s conference which was designed to put the State in the global spotlight for the duration of the conference and beyond. Accordingly, the Executive Committee of NBA-SPIDEL came to the painful decision to request, and I have approved, that the 2022 NBA-SPIDEL Annual Conference be postponed not only for the safety of our conferees and guests, but as a mark of respect for the memory of the slain Miss Deborah Yakubu.

Click here to read the full text.

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‘JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED IN DEBORAH YAKUBU CASE,’ WARNS CLASFON

The Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) has urged the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that prosecution of the alleged masterminds of the killing of Miss Deborah Samuel Yakubu do not escape justice.

In a statement made available to CITY LAWYER, the umbrella body of Christian lawyers stated that “against the background that murder or culpable homicide is a criminal offence in the Federal Republic of Nigeria irrespective of the motive for perpetrating it.

CLASFON however commended the Sultanate Council “for its condemnation of the unfortunate incident in its entirety and its appeal to law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators of the acts which resulted in the death of Deborah Samuel Yakubu to justice, we expect all people of goodwill to do the same.”

The statement reads:

CHRISTIAN LAWYERS FELLOWSHIP OF NIGERIA (CLASFON) PRESS STATEMENT ON THE GRUESOME MURDER OF DEBORAH SAMUEL YAKUBU OF SHEHU SHAGARI COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, SOKOTO STATE

The Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) received with great shock and dismay the news of the gruesome and barbaric killing on Thursday, 12 May 2022 of Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a female 200 Level Home Economics Nigerian Christian student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Sokoto State, by irate youths including her Muslim student colleagues, for blasphemy allegedly committed by her through WhatsApp communication with her course mates.

It is our considered view that there are adequate laws both substantive and procedural in the Statute books of Sokoto State to deal with the alleged blasphemous conduct of Deborah Samuel Yakubu and it was out of place to resort to jungle justice or self-help contrary to the law of the land. The unlawful and cruel termination of the life of Deborah Samuel Yakubu was a gross violation of her right to life guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the supreme law in Nigeria, as well as relevant international human rights instruments. The right to life is the most important and precious of all human rights and it is incumbent on all to ensure its protection. Life is sacred and Nigerian law does not authorise the unlawful taking of anyone’s life in the circumstances depicted by the gruesome killing of Deborah Samuel Yakubu. It is important to reiterate that the rule of law does not in any way support the criminal acts perpetrated with respect to Deborah Samuel Yakubu.

While we commend the Sultanate Council for its condemnation of the unfortunate incident in its entirety and its appeal to law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators of the acts which resulted in the death of Deborah Samuel Yakubu to justice, we expect all people of goodwill to do the same.

We urge the Nigeria Police Force to ensure they leave no stone unturned to see that justice is served according to the law of Nigeria in the matter of the gruesome killing of a fellow citizen, Deborah Samuel Yakubu. This is against the background that murder or culpable homicide is a criminal offence in the Federal Republic of Nigeria irrespective of the motive for perpetrating it. The Police as an institution must not allow itself to be cowed by the sponsored protests in Sokoto State or pressured into abdicating its responsibilities to the good people of Nigeria by hoodlums whose only interest is the promotion of anarchy. Justice must be done and must be seen to be done in this case of Deborah Samuel Yakubu. Not only will this send the right message to the international community and all people of goodwill that Nigeria is a country governed by law and committed to the rule of law but it will also help to build the trust of the average citizen in Nigeria’s fidelity to the rule of law and respect for human life.

We urge religious leaders of all persuasions not to be deterred in performing their bounden duty to educate their followers on the need to be cautious, sensitive, tolerant and to follow legally prescribed processes for the vindication of their rights that are infringed cognisant of their tremendous ability to guide adherents of different faiths in Nigeria’s multi-religious environment.

CLASFON commiserates with the parents, family members, friends and associates of Deborah Samuel Yakubu and the entire Christian community in Nigeria on this sad development. We pray for God’s comfort and strength for them at this very difficult time.

We pray God Almighty to cause His peace that passes all understanding to reign in Nigeria in the most precious Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

DATED THE 15TH DAY OF MAY, 2022

Prof. Oluwole John Akintayo                                                                        Precious Nwadimuya, Esq., NP
President                                                                                                                        National Secretary

CLASFON_SOKOTO

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