Mr Femi Falana
By Toba Suleiman
Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has
threatened a legal action against the Dangote Group of Companies, owned
by the billionaire business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, over alleged
infringement on peoples’ rights.
While Falana disclosed that Dangote’s companies would be sued for the
alleged killings of innocent Nigerians in various accidents across the
country, he added that oil companies would be sued for not paying
compensations to some communities where they operate.
Besides, the former West African Bar Association (WABA) President also
threatened to institute a legal action against those who were allegedly
fingered in the killing of a 70-year-old woman, Mrs Rebecca Adewumi,
over alleged witchcraft power.
Adewumi was allegedly beaten to death on June 30, 2012 by some
suspected youths in Omuo-Ekiti for allegedly inflicting her step son,
Ola Adewumi, who is now late with a strange illness through her
witchcraft powers.
Addressing journalists in his home town, Ilawe-Ekiti in Ekiti State at
the weekend, Falana expressed disappointment on how the Dangote’s trucks
have been killing innocent Nigerians on the highways without a
challenge from the Federal Government.
He frowned at the way the company would deny the families of the
victims adequate compensations, after killing their bread winners,
describing it as a flagrant abuse of the peoples’ rights.
“It is no gainsaying that Dangote companies have killed many innocent
Nigerians across the country in one accident or the other. I don’t have
any grudge against any company plying its trade in Nigeria, but you
cannot kill any human being and go scot free without paying
compensations,” he said.
“We have received series of complaints from Nigerians about how their
families are being cheated by some of these companies after their
beloved ones had been killed.
“We will no longer tolerate this and steps must be taken to ensure that such families are compensated,” Falana said.
Disclosing that the country’s external debt profile has hit 45 billion dollars, Falana threatened to sue the Federal Government if it makes any move to borrow from the World Bank.
Disclosing that the country’s external debt profile has hit 45 billion dollars, Falana threatened to sue the Federal Government if it makes any move to borrow from the World Bank.
The eminent lawyer, said he will definitely consult with the state
government to ascertain the level reached in the ongoing prosecution of
those alleged to have killed Mrs Adewumi, to guide him on how to
handle the murder case.
He said a team of lawyers, headed by himself and former President of
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) is currently
fine-tuning arrangements on these barrage of litigations , which he said
were intended to correct some perceived social-ills in the country.
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