At least 31 lawyers from the Northern part of Nigeria on Wednesday declared their intention to defend the suspended Head of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, following his indictment by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for alleged link with the suspected fraudster, Ramon Abass aka Hushpuppi.
Barr. Bappah Salisu, who spoke on behalf of a group of lawyers drawn from the 19 Northern states in the country, said in a statement in Abuja, his colleagues had agreed to provide free legal services to Kyari.
He said the decision was in response to the recent call by the Coalition of Northern Group (CNG) on the matter.
Salisu said there were several procedural lapses in the FBI attempt to extradite the police officer to the US to face criminal charges.
He said: “We would raise questions involving the possibility of breaches to Kyari’s fundamental rights entrenched in Articles 6 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights which essentially states that every individual shall have the right to liberty and to the security of his person and every individual shall have the right to have his cause heard.
“This comprises the right to an appeal to competent national organs against acts of violating his fundamental rights as recognized and guaranteed by conventions, laws, regulations, and customs in force.
“The right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty by a competent court or tribunal; the right to defence, including the right to be defended by counsel of his choice; the right to be tried within a reasonable time by an impartial court or tribunal.”