Falana Reacts As Sanwo-Olu Arrests Soldier For Plying One-way On Lagos Road

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has vowed to ensure the prosecution of a soldier who was arrested by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State over a road traffic offence.

Recall that Governor Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, ordered and supervised the arrest of some Okada riders plying one-way along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

Naija News reports the governor was on his way to an event when his convoy ran into the lawless okada riders who were driving against traffic and he ordered his security details to arrest them

While several of them left their motorcycles and passengers upon sighting the governor’s convoy, one of the offenders – a lance corporal in the Army, was arrested with his bike.

During the arrest, the soldier was heard telling the Governor he is an officer, but Sanwo-Olu in his reply, said that is the more reason for him to be arrested.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television on Wednesday, Falana stated that men of the armed forces in the country often see themselves as above the law.

He said military officers believe that the country is still under the military dictatorship, saying that Nigeria should be a country where there is a rule of law and there must be equality before the law.

Falana said he is going to ensure that the human rights community pressurises the Lagos State Government to prosecute the soldier.

He said: “In our country, men of the armed forces believe, as if we’re still under the military dictatorship, that they’re above the law.

“We’re even lucky there was no unfortunate incident. Last year August, some policemen were controlling the traffic around Ojo and because vehicles were stopped, soldiers came from one of the vehicles and pounced on one of the police officers and an inspector was killed in the process.

“Others were injured and detained in the barrack. Even to release the soldiers for investigation was problematic.

“It was the same thing in the case of Wadume, where a captain led soldiers to attack three policemen and killed them who had come to arrest a very dangerous criminal and what happened?

“Soldiers were even charged but a former Attorney-General Malami withdrew the case from the court that the soldiers will try them. These guys have been promoted.

“So, we must run a country where there is rule of law and there must be equality before the law and I’m going to ensure that we get the human rights community to pressurise the Lagos State Government to have that soldier tried.”