‘FG may not unfreeze #EndSARS protesters account’ – AGF, Malami

Abubakar Malami, The Attorney General Of The Federation, still doubts the unfreezing of 20 EndSARS protester’s accounts despite court ruling.

Recall that a Federal High Court in Abuja had ruled that the Central Bank Of Nigeria, CBN, unfreeze the bank accounts of 20 EndSARS protesters.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed, who ruled in favor of the protesters, ordered the affected banks to ‘immediately unfreeze the affected accounts.’

But the AGF, while speaking at an interview with Newsmen, said a lot of factors would be considered before the Federal Government comply with the ruling of the court.

Malami, in his reactions to the court order, said the FG has many options to consider before complying with the court order.

“We need to take in a lot of factors with particular reference to the compliance with the court order, and within the context of striking a balance, the options that are available are multiple,” he said.

“One, the consideration of or a possibility of wholehearted compliance with the court order; that is, comprehensive, unconditional compliance with the order relating with the unfreezing of the #EndSARS account.

“But, that does not take away the right of the government to give a further consideration when the need arises, a consideration, for example, of exercising the right of appeal against the order, if the need arises, coupled with the right of stay of execution of the order or perhaps, application of variation of order, among others.

Malami further argues that the government has not breached any order if it decides to exercise its rights and appeal the verdict of the high court or an appeal for setting aside the order or even stay on the executive order.

Meanwhile, Counsel to the EndSARS protest, Femi Falana, SAN, has argued that the Federal Government does not have any group to freeze the accounts of the protesters again, and they can’t even appeal the judgment.

According to him, it is a violation of the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to protest their rights. In addition, he urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to stay off politics and focus on his jurisdiction of finance and the nations economy.