Falana Declares Alleged Panel Of First Lady Illegal As Women Group Wants Her To Apologize

Lagos Lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) yesterday said, the alleged panel of inquiry set up by the first lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan over the missing school girls is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void. Falana wants the panel immediately disbanded as the first lady as no right whatsoever to set up a panel over this. Falana also says her alleged statement saying no girls were missing is also wrong, after CAN tried its possible best to release over 180 names out of the missing girls. He also said the presidency shouldn't have accepted the offer of other countries since the first lady believes no girls were missing. Meanwhile, a group, BAOBAB for Women’s Right, yesterday, also called on the first lady to apologise to the parents of the abducted school girls for doubting that the abduction took place. Here is a statement from them. “BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights, Borno State outreach condemns in its totality the actions of the wife of Nigerian president, Mrs. Patience Jonathan on concerns shown by people within and outside Nigeria on the abduction of innocent girls. This act of criminality, as we are aware violates their fundamental human right to education. A situation when the wife of the president who does not have a role under the Nigerian constitution begins to summon and interrogate duly appointed government officials as well as giving them directives and detaining some of them, is worrisome as this could interfere with the various actions put in place towards addressing insurgency rocking the country. We want them back, safe in their homes wherever they are. The poor handling of information about the exact number of girls who are still missing and the fact that members of the Boko Haram have claimed responsibility for the abduction of these girls must not deter those with the responsibility for the safety of all Nigerians from working to find these girls where they are being held and return them to their parents,” the group said. The group also commended the efforts of various women organisations within and outside the country and both local and foreign media towards rescuing the abducted girls.