₦airaland Forum

A Lagos based Lawyer and Human Rights Activist, who is internationally recognised for his efforts in the fight against corruption and impunity, Femi Falana, has faulted the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, over the involvement of the Department of State Security Service, DSS, in the investigation of the alleged padding of the 2016 budget, by the leadership of the House of Representatives.
Falana, in a statement, described the action of the DSS, as an “usurpation of the statutory duties of the Police and the anti-graft agencies”.
The legal icon, said the DSS lacks both moral and legal justification to investigate matters that are not threatening to the internal security of the country.

He said: “Having regard to the recent activities of the DSS, and the clear provisions of the relevant laws on investigation of corruption and other economic and financial crimes, the DSS lacks the moral right and legal powers to interfere in the investigation of the criminal allegation of pad­ding of the budget in any manner whatsoever.
“Having just arrested and detained the principal officers and administrative staff of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, for having the temerity to embark on the impeachment of Governor Mohammed Yari, on grounds of alleged corrupt practices, the DSS cannot be trusted with the investigation of the monumental scandal, which is currently rocking the House of Representatives.
“More importantly, by virtue of the provisions of the National Security Agencies Act, the powers of the DSS, are strictly limited to the ‘preservation and detection within Nigeria, of any crime against the internal security of Nigeria.”

He added, “Since the padding of the national budget is a straight forward case of economic crime, which is not concerned with the internal security of the nation, the DSS should not play into the soiled hands of the criminal suspects in the House of Representatives, as they may later turn round to challenge the legal validity of any criminal charge arising from a faulty investigation report.
“The DSS is alleged to have usurped the statutory duties of the Police and the anti-graft agencies, by taking over the investigation of the padding of the budget. Based on the illegal decision to take over the investigation, the DSS is reported to have sealed off the office of the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee of the House of Representatives. The Police and the anti-graft agencies should be allowed to get to the root of the criminality of budget padding in the National Assembly”.
Falana, also asked that the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, be compelled to set out the details of the 2016 budget of the National Assembly, in order to facilitate and accelerate the investigation.
He also pointed out that the investigation must be extended to involve, “alleged criminal diversion of over N300 billion, via constituency projects, purportedly executed by past and serving federal legislators”.
Falana, declared that a thorough investigation be carried out, and all the indicted suspects be charged to court, while the funds allegedly stolen by them, be recovered.

“The top civil servants who colluded with the legislators to alter the 2016 National Budget, should be handed over to the Police and anti-graft agencies for investigation and prosecution.
This is the time to stop looting of the treasury through the padding of the budget by civil servants, ministers and legislators,” he concluded.

summary he is saying DSS dont touch this!

What else do you expect? When the DSS Director and the President and Commander-in-Chief are Kinsmen.

there is no day I don't come across this name Buhari...this man matter tire me

Little by little the nation is losing sanity cos we have undemocratic leader in our young but,best democratic experience.

It is unfortunate we have the current bunch of irredeemable incompetent people at the helm of affairs.

It's ok o

Everybody is just calling out Buhari as if them be mate.. BY now nobody is Re-walking the walk. That man has lost it all. May he be alive in 2019 to see how Nigerians will massively vote him out if status quo remains thesame

Am sure the mantra of parties wud be properly asked to be explain to the people before voting.
Change - was it for the best or worst? I think d economy wud answer the question

Falana Gbo tie

femi falan u dare not wail biko

People must just make noise over nothing. What is this one saying again? Both the police and dss take orders from the executive. Even if the police carries out the investigation, it will still be accused of doing the bidding of PMB because whatever u suspect in the dss is not different from the police. The police may be the appropriate investigating authority, but even if he is advising the president in his capacity as a 'learned' member of the society, why should it make a headline?

[size=18pt]Falana the shameless ambulance chaser who stated that a sitting governor can be arraigned before a military tribunal is a top international lawyer?


I laff!


[/size]

tuniski:
Little by little the nation is losing sanity cos we have undemocratic leader in our young but,best democratic experience.

It is unfortunate we have the current bunch of irredeemable incompetent people at the helm of affairs.

Falana is even more of a charlatan of late than all the Buhari nepotic appointtess combined.


Leave that trashy lawyer to the dustbin.


He is just an attention wh0rr desperate for Buharis patronage.

Buhari should do something nah

source?

KwaraRat:
[size=18pt]Falana the shameless ambulance chaser who stated that a sitting governor can be arraigned before a military tribunal is a top international lawyer?


I laff!


[/size]

Nobody takes him serious

Oga falana shut up! Mumu human right activist. Of all the cases of human right violation in this country, Na this one u wan begin talk. #OneChanceLawyer

KwaraRat:
[size=18pt]Falana the shameless ambulance chaser who stated that a sitting governor can be arraigned before a military tribunal is a top international lawyer?


I laff!


[/size]

u insult falana because u support buhari... he is beta than ur father.

shuggah:
u insults falana because u support buhari... he is beta than ur father.

On the contrary, I insult falana for being a fool that he is and for desperately seeking Buhari's attention and patronage.

If you must know between these two fools (Buhari and Falana) , I am yet to conclude which is the foolest fool between them.

KwaraRat:
On the contrary, I insult falana for being a fool that he is and for desperately seeking Buhari's attention and patronage.

If you must know between these two fools (Buhari and Falana) , I am yet to conclude which is the foolest fool between them.

Hmmm.. .

"Falana, in a statement, described the action of the DSS, as an “usurpation of the statutory duties of the Police and the anti-graft agencies”.
The legal icon, said the DSS lacks both moral and legal justification to investigate matters that are not threatening to the internal security of the country."

We all Know what the police have become in this country they virtual can not handle there duties. We need the army,the NSCDC,EFCC,FRSC,DSS and vigilantes to there jobs. The Police over the years have become comatose or unreliable in carrying out there duties. They can stop jack s***t from happening. All they do is rake in money for there pockets. When will that entity become professional for the love of God?

Today the army is doing all the cleaning up for the police failure. Have you notice the successes made by the FRSC,DSS,Army and Vigilantes as against what the police has done?For the Police to be ignored when its critical as it matters,simply tells alot about there credibility and reliability to deliver.

Frankly the police as an organization is really in a lot of mess.It needs professionalism and they need to restore confidence in there ability to deliver.