Basketmouth slams FG for failing to name, prosecute sponsors of terrorism

Tobi Adebayo
Nigerian comedian, Bright Okpocha, popularly known as Basketmouth, has slammed the Federal Government for not naming the alleged sponsors of terrorism in the country.

Recall that in September 2021, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami had announced that the sponsors of terrorism and insecurity plaguing the country had been identified.

However, Malami said their identities will not be made public “out of sheer respect the constitutional rights of Nigerians relating to presumption of innocence.”

“It is a product of constitutionalism and the law. It is rooted in the law and the names of the suspects will accordingly be made public at the point of judicial arraignment while the. Trials are judicial processes and not about media sensations.

“Naming and shaming in the Nigerian context must be rooted in constitutionalism. We must strike a balance between the constitutional presumption of innocence and evidential proof of reasonable ground for suspicion in making disclosures associated with terrorism funding and financing.

“Where reasonable grounds are established, suspects must be naturally taken to court at which point their identity must be disclosed and the naming becomes apparent. Shaming, on the other hand, is the product of conviction at which point the public is equally judicially put on notice.

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“In essence, naming and shaming within the context of Nigerian law are judicial functions which commence with the arraignment and terminate with convictions,” he said.

Reacting via his Instagram story, Basketmouth wondered what the FG planned to do with the alleged sponsors.

He wrote: “I wonder what FG will do to the sponsors of Boko Haram and Bandits.

“I mean, they have identified them but they cannot prosecute them just yet. Uselessness in high places.”