Denying Amaechi Access to Govt House, a Violation of Human Rights – Fashola
...Explains why Lagos took Al-Mustapha to Supreme Court
Ameachi had alleged with picture evidences that police blocked the entrance to Rivers State Government House after sealing the New Peoples Democratic Party's secretariat in the state.
But the Rivers State Police Command denied the allegation.
Fashola, however, in what he described as his own opinion, said the denial was a violation of Amaechi's fundamental human rights.
Fashola, who spoke at an event to mark his 2,300 days in office on Saturday, explained that though, the action was a breach of fundamental human rights, "no right is absolute".
When asked about the denial of Amaechi's access to Government House, Fashola said: "The question about the police and denial of access is not a matter of my opinion. It is a matter of commonsense; even the lowliest citizen can be prevented from access to his house. If such a citizen is denied an access to his house, it will be a breach of fundamental human rights to movement. As I always said, none of the fundamental human rights is absolute.
“Your right to movement can be restricted if for instance, police come to arrest you for reasonable allegation. Your right to freedom of expression does not extend to making utterance to damaging people’s reputation without justification. Such right is not absolute, and you can face criminal libel and civil defamation. Your right to freedom of association does not allow you to be member of secret cult.
“I believe there is a law in this country that prevents you from being a member of secret cult. None of these rights is absolute. Each of the rights creates corresponding duties. Your rights to transact business must stop where my right to move on the roads begins. You cannot turn our motorway to shops just because you have the right to do business. It is a corresponding exchange of rights and responsibilities. The better we understand this the more progress we will make."
Governor Fashola also gave reasons on why the state appealed the case of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha in the Supreme Court of Justice.
Al-Mustapha was allegedly accused of the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the supposed June 12, 1993 presidential election winner, Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.
After a long trial, a High Court of Appeal court sitting in Lagos, discharged and acquitted the former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
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The court in its judgement explained that there was no evidence that Al-Mustapha, who had been previously sentenced to life imprisonment by a High Court, was responsible for the offence.
Nevertheless, Fashola said his government decided to take Al-Mustapha to the highest court of law to ensure justice and equality.
"We took the former Chief Security Officer to the former Head of State, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha to the Supreme Court because government places the highest premium on every human life and that families of those killed deserve every right to agitate the matter to the Supreme Court, just as the accused would have been entitled. Government has appealed on behalf of the people to the Supreme Court," he added.
Fashola also appealed to operators of commercial motorbikes in the state to avoid plying restricted routes, adding that tricycles are no different from motorbikes.
“They are therefore subject to the same provisions of the Traffic Law relating to safety and the routes they can operate; mainly the inner streets and not on the highways and I can assure you that nobody will be allowed to act outside the law,” he said.
http://www.dailytimes.com.ng/article/denying-amaechi-access-govt-house-violation-human-rights-%E2%80%93-fashola
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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