The Coalition for Human Rights and Rule of Law, on Thursday, threw its weight behind the assets recovery drive of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The AGF had been in the media recently over an alleged award of “a multi billion naira assets recovery contract to a company and its lawyers secretly”.
But the Coalition, in a statement signed by its President, Gabriel Agibi and made available to newsmen on Thursday, said the media report was being orchestrated by enemies of the Minister who are “agents of corruption” that did not want the Federal Government to recover assets.
The consistency of the attacks indicates a sinister motive to cause a submission to the whims and caprices of a select few who are bent on subverting the judicial process in Nigeria in ways too numerous to mention.
“As stakeholders in the justice sector, we are tempted to believe that the stance of the AGF with regards to asset recovery has not gone down well with some individuals hence the puerile attempt at blackmail and intimidation”, the group alleged.
The coalition said it was aware that the asset recovery drive of the Federal Government had indeed “ruffled some feathers”, hence the target of the AGF, whose responsibility it was to ensure the successful implementation of the asset recovery drive.
The statement added, “The coalition of human rights and the rule of law is issuing this press statement in light of the well-orchestrated campaign of calumny ostensibly launched by agents of corruption to misrepresent the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami.
“The consistency of the attacks indicates a sinister motive to cause a submission to the whims and caprices of a select few who are bent on subverting the judicial process in Nigeria in ways too numerous to mention.
“As stakeholders in the justice sector, we are tempted to believe that the stance of the AGF with regards to asset recovery has not gone down well with some individuals, hence the puerile attempt at blackmail and intimidation.
“It is an unfortunate episode in the annals of the country as to why some individuals who, for reasons best known to them, have arrogated certain powers and privileges. As such, they have carried on like mini gods by blackmailing those who have put the country’s interest first.”
