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| Falana |
Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has
threatened to drag billionaire businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote to court for
allegedly killing innocent Nigerians in various auto crashes caused by
articulated vehicles owned by companies belonging him.
The lawyer said he would sue the company and Alhaji Dangote for alleged infringement on the human rights of the victims and failure to compensate communities where they operate.
Similarly, Falana, who spoke with journalists in Ilawe-Ekiti at the weekend, also vowed to drag to court all those involved in the killing of the 70-year old woman, Mrs. Rebecca Adewumi, in Omuo-Ekiti over alleged witchcraft.
It will be recalled that the late 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, now late, with a strange ailment.
He expressed disappointment over the increasing rate of killing of innocent Nigerians in road accidents involving trucks belonging to the companies owned by Alhaji Dangote.
He also questioned the high external debt profile of the country which he claimed had hit $45 billion, adding that he would not hesitate to sue the Federal government if any attempt is made to borrow more money from the World Bank.
He said he would consult with the Ekiti 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 consortium of lawyers, headed by himself and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba(SAN) were fine-tuning arrangements on these barrage of litigations, which he said were intended to correct some perceived social-ills in the country.
Falana particularly loathed the way the company was denying the families of the victims adequate compensations, after killing their bread winners, describing this unwholesome development as a flagrant abuse of the people’s rights.
The lawyer said he would sue the company and Alhaji Dangote for alleged infringement on the human rights of the victims and failure to compensate communities where they operate.
Similarly, Falana, who spoke with journalists in Ilawe-Ekiti at the weekend, also vowed to drag to court all those involved in the killing of the 70-year old woman, Mrs. Rebecca Adewumi, in Omuo-Ekiti over alleged witchcraft.
It will be recalled that the late 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, now late, with a strange ailment.
He expressed disappointment over the increasing rate of killing of innocent Nigerians in road accidents involving trucks belonging to the companies owned by Alhaji Dangote.
He also questioned the high external debt profile of the country which he claimed had hit $45 billion, adding that he would not hesitate to sue the Federal government if any attempt is made to borrow more money from the World Bank.
He said he would consult with the Ekiti 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 consortium of lawyers, headed by himself and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba(SAN) were fine-tuning arrangements on these barrage of litigations, which he said were intended to correct some perceived social-ills in the country.
Falana particularly loathed the way the company was denying the families of the victims adequate compensations, after killing their bread winners, describing this unwholesome development as a flagrant abuse of the people’s 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
compensation.
“We have received series of complaints from Nigerians about how their family members 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.
He added that people, whose environment had been badly deprived as a result of petroleum extraction in the Niger Delta Region, would benefit from the legal gesture.
“We have received series of complaints from Nigerians about how their family members 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.
He added that people, whose environment had been badly deprived as a result of petroleum extraction in the Niger Delta Region, would benefit from the legal gesture.
The Compass
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