Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Nigeria’s Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami has berated Nigerian born Solicitor General of the Province of Alberta in Canada, Kelechi Madu over his recent comments on the re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu.
Madu had claimed that Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who was standing trial in Nigeria for treasonable felony but jumped bail and fled the country, was kidnapped in Kenya, in violation of international laws.
Madu had also described Malami as a “disgrace to the rule of law” for supporting what he claimed was an illegal act.
Reacting to Madu’s comments in a statement by his media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu, the AGF described Madu’s statement as “outrageously ignoramus opinions” that are eccentric and weird to the legal profession.”
Malami said: “There was no illegality in the entire process and the question of illegality does not even arise. It is a common principle of the law that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.”
The statement reads: “Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN has described the ideas attributed to one Kelechi Madu as outrageously ignoramus opinions that are eccentric and weird to the legal profession.
“It is unfortunate for someone who claims to be a lawyer of a status of a Solicitor General of a provincial State of Alberta in Canada to fault the internationally recognized manner through which Nnamdi Kanu who jumped bail was re-arrested and brought back to face trial.
“It was abundantly clear that bench warrant was lawfully and judiciously procured through judicial process by a competent court of law, whose bail condition Nnamdi Kanu breached with impunity.
“There was no illegality in the entire process and the question of illegality does not even arise. It is a common principle of the law that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
“The self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed group of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has enjoyed representation by counsel of his choice all through the judicial process and was never denied a right of choice of counsel or recourse to one, even when he symbolizes a proscribed association (IPOB) in law, and in fact his association has been legally proscribed.
“Where was the so-called Madu when Nnamdi Kanu was inciting violence against the country? Why, as a lawyer, would Madu support a fugitive who jumped bail and accused of terrorism and treasonable felony?
The AGF wondered why Madu did not condemn all the atrocities of Kanu and the proscribed organisation he led.
“What stopped Madu from voicing out dissent on the atrocities of Kanu and their group?
“It is important to educate the likes of Kelechi Madu that both Nigeria (his country of birth) and Canada (where he claims to be practicing law) are signatories to the Multinational Treaty Agreement where, among others, fugitive fleeing justice in nations with similar agreement could be brought back to face justice.
“It is a pity that as a Solicitor General of a province, Madu failed to keep himself acquainted with the provisions of general laws of the country where he stays as well as international laws.”