Falana writes Malami, requests information on trial of 400 ‘Boko Haram sponsors’

The law firm of Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has asked Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), to provide information on the charges brought against 400 persons arrested for allegedly sponsoring Boko Haram.

Recall that in May, the suspects were arrested in an operation coordinated by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

They were arrested in Kano, Borno, Abuja, Lagos, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kaduna, and Zamfara.

The operation was said to have been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020.

The AGF had said criminal charges bordering on terrorism were already being prepared against the suspects while the investigation continues.

In a freedom of information (FoI) request signed by Samuel Ogala on behalf of Falana & Falana‘s Chambers, the AGF was asked to provide the information of their prosecution within seven days in accordance with the act.

“On May 4 2021, it was widely reported in the print and electronic media that the Federal Government had concluded arrangements to prosecute about 400 alleged sponsors and financiers of terrorism in Nigeria,” the letter reads.

“In the said publication, your office assured the nation that the suspects would be arraigned after the industrial action recently embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

“In view of the terrorist attacks being unleashed on law-abiding citizens by groups of insurgents in several parts of the country, we strongly commend the move by the Federal Government to prosecute the suspects who were reported to have been arrested in a nationwide operation a few months ago.

“We, however, request that our law firm be furnished with information with respect to when criminal charges were filed against the suspects since the strike by JUSUN has since been called off.

“Kindly ensure that we are furnished with the requested information within 7 days of the receipt of this letter in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.”