Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana Blast Police for Arraigning Dino Melaye on a stretcher.

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), have lambasted the Nigeria Police for arraigning Senator Dino Melaye in court on a stretcher. Falana said in a statement on Thursday.

He said “The arraignment of Senator Dino Melaye on a stretcher in Abuja on Wednesday and Lokoja on Thursday morning is unacceptable in a civilised society.

“It is particularly degrading and humiliating as it violates the fundamental right to the dignity of his person guaranteed by Section 34 of the constitution and Section 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.”

Falana, however, stated that Melaye’s ordeal was a reflection of the suffering ordinary Nigerians faced in the hands of security agents on a daily basis.

He, therefore, called on the National Assembly which had protested against Melaye’s arrest, to use the opportunity to call on the relevant agencies to turn a new leaf.

The activist said the National Assembly should give equal attention to the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), who have both remained in custody for nearly three years despite several courts granting them bail.

Falana added, “Even though the senator has my sympathy, it is indistinguishable that he has only been given a little dose of the humiliating treatment that is daily meted out to the flotsam and jetsam of our unjust society by the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies in Nigeria.

“Therefore, the senator’s case should not be treated in isolation by the Senate and the bourgeois media. While the solidarity of the federal legislators with Senator Melaye is understandable, the tragic turn of events calls for sober reflection.”