The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has criticised the Solicitor-General of Alberta in Canada, Kelechi Amadi, over his comment on the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a post on social media, Madu had said if Kanu was truly abducted from Kenya, then Malami was a disgrace to the rule of law.
But in a statement, Dr Umar Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the minister, issued on Malami’s behalf on Wednesday, the minister described Madu as ignorant.
“Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has described the ideas attributed to one Kelechi Madu as outrageously ignoramus opinions that are eccentric and weird to the legal profession.
“It is unfortunate for someone who claims to be a lawyer of a status of a Solicitor General of a provincial State of Alberta in Canada to fault the internationally recognized manner through which Nnamdi Kanu who jumped bail was re-arrested and brought back to face trial,” the statement read.
Malami also insisted that there was no illegality in the arrest of the IPOB leader.
According to him, “It was abundantly clear that bench warrant was lawfully and judiciously procured through judicial process by a competent court of law, whose bail condition Nnamdi Kanu breached with impunity. There was no illegality in the entire process and the question of illegality does not even arise.
“It is a common principle of the law that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. Where was the so-called Madu when Nnamdi Kanu was inciting violence against the country? Why, as a lawyer, would Madu support a fugitive who jumped bail and accused of terrorism and treasonable felony? What stopped Madu from voicing out dissent on the atrocities of Kanu and their group?”
The AGF said it was important to educate Madu that both Nigeria (his country of birth) and Canada where he practises law, are signatories to the Multinational Treaty Agreement where, among others, fugitive fleeing justice in nations with similar agreement could be brought back to face justice.
“It is a pity that as a Solicitor General of a province, Madu failed to keep himself acquainted with the provisions of general laws of the country where he stays as well as international laws,” said Malami.
The AGF urged the Canadian public officer to go back to educate himself in matters of the law, adding that Madu only left for Canada after failing to succeed in his country of birth.
“As the saying goes ‘an empty vessel makes the loudest noise’. We advise the so-called ‘learned man’ to shelve his arrogance and learn to study the law books before opening his mouth to disgrace himself before the right-thinking members of the society thereby attracting to himself criticism that may propel doubt about his suitability for the job he claims to be doing now, after moving out of his country of origin in which he fails to excel,” he added.
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