Nigerian human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, a senor advocate of Nigeria has said that the Muhammadu Buhari should free all prisoners who have been jailed for stealing public funds.
The Council of State on Thursday, granted state pardon to former Plateau and Taraba state governors, Joshua Dariye and Jollly Nyame, who were both jailed for corruption and some other Nigerians.
However, speaking at one year remembrance event of late Yinka Odumakin and launch of Yinka Odumakin Foundation, held in Lagos as a guest lecturer, Falana insisted that Nigeria’s constitution promotes equality for all citizens.
According to him, the state pardon should be extended to all prisoners who are serving jail terms for stealing.
“They are pardoning themselves now, the same man who said he came to fight corruption now grants pardon to a man who has stolen billions of Naira.
“My reaction is that all criminals, all thieves and criminals in our prisons should be released.
“Under section 17 of their constitution, it says there shall be equal right to all citizens and section 42 said there shall be no discrimination on the basis of class, gender, whatever, so you can not take out two people and leave the rest there.
“If the government doesn’t release others, I am going to suggest to lawyers whose clients are likely to be left in prison to go to court and challenge the discriminatory treatment melted out to their own clients.
“If you want to pardon your friends, you must also extend the presidential pardon to all thieves because if the big thieves are being asked to walk away, we must also extend it to others.
