Femi Falana, a human rights activist and lawyer, has blasted Prof. Ben Ayade, Governor of Cross River State, for charging Agba Jalingo, a journalist, with treason for accusing him of corruption.
He also slammed the police for being a willing tool of oppression against Nigerians despite a subsisting Court of Appeal ruling that a public officer who has been defamed cannot use the machinery of the state to harass citizens.
“A Nigerian cannot be charged with any criminal offence for criticising a governor or any other public officer in Nigeria. In Nwankwo v State (1985) NCLR 247, the Court of Appeal held that any public officer who feels defamed by any publication should sue for libel as it is illegal to use the machinery of the state to harass political opponents in Nigeria.
“But in utter disregard of the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Nwankwo’s case, the Nigeria Police Force has just charged Mr. Agba Jalingo with terrorism for criticising Governor Ayade of Cross River State.
“Since the charge constitutes a gross abuse of judicial process, we call on the Inspector-General of Police to discontinue or withdraw it without any delay. If Governor Ayade feels offended by any statement made by Mr Jalingo, he is advised to sue for libel in the High Court of Cross River State,” Falana said in a statement.
Jalingo, an ally of Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters currently in detention for planning a protest against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, had, through a publication on his news website, accused Ayade of embezzling government funds to the tune of N500 million.
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