Senate can order for SGF’s arrest – Falana

Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana has said the Senate can order for the arrest of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, if he fails to appear before it.

Falana said in a statement, that the ongoing investigation into the North East humanitarian contract by the Senate, has legal backing.

He also explained that it was different from that of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali.

“The investigation being conducted by the Shehu Sani committee into the grass-cutting contract is backed by Section 88(2) of the constitution. So, the SGF is constitutionally required to appear and cooperate fully with the committee.

“If he fails to appear, the committee is competent to order his arrest pursuant to Section 89 of the constitution. This case is materially distinguishable from that of the CGC of Customs, who was invited to justify a policy on import duty,” Falana said.

The Shehu Sani-led Senate ad-hoc committee has postponed the second investigative hearing on the mounting humanitarian crisis in the North-East, which was earlier slated for Thursday.

According to the clerk to the ad-hoc committee, Lawal Bagaudu, who broke the news to the media in Abuja, the decision to postpone the hearing followed the refusal of Lawal and his company, Rholavision Ltd, to appear before the committee, citing legal reasons and bereavement.

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