A human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has in a veiled response to Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said that it is a wrong use of language in democracy to say that government will obey court order not out of intimidation.

Falana said this on Thursday while speaking at Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’

“I was listening to somebody who said government will obey the court order not out of intimidation. I beg your pardon! You shouldn’t use such language in a democracy. We shouldn’t debate whether government should obey a court order or not.” Falana said

He also said the Central Bank of Nigeria cannot appeal the court judgment unfreezing the bank account of 20 #EndSARS campaigners and his clients would be instituting actions against the Buhari administration and CBN for violating their rights by illegally freezing their accounts last October out of “sheer intimidation.”

“In October last year, the Central Bank of Nigeria went out of his way to obtain an ex parte to freeze the accounts of 20 #EndSARS protesters. The Central Bank asked to investigate the 20 people for alleged money laundering, terrorism and sundry offences.

“Instead of 180 days, the court gave the CBN 90 days to commence and conclude investigation into the accounts of the activities of these young men and women.

“For the 90 days, throughout the duration of the order, there was no investigation at all because no offence was committed,” Mr. Falana said.

Furthermore, Falana asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stay out of politics and stick to the business of banking.

“I do hope that sufficient lessons have been learnt particularly by the Central Bank to desist from jumping into the political arena by attempting to freeze the accounts of people who are involved in the struggle one way or the other against the government,” he stated.

He argued that the CBN misled the court into believing that some grave offenses had been committed, which would require time to run an investigation.

He however noted that no offense was committed and no attempt was made by the Central Bank to investigate any individual.

The lawyer urged the CBN to be more circumspect in the future, adding that the individuals whose accounts were frozen will be going to court to challenge the “gross violation” of their rights to their property.