Human rights lawyer Mr Femi Falana (SAN) has criticised Nigerian courts for discharging suspects accused of diverting billions of naira meant for arms procurement, warning that such rulings are weakening the fight against terrorism and banditry.
He argued that decisions that hinge on technical objections rather than the substance of alleged crimes have emboldened corruption in the security sector, while troops battling insurgents remain poorly equipped.
Falana spoke at the weekend in Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State, where he lamented that terrorists and bandits now appear better armed than Nigerian soldiers because funds meant for weapons and logistics were allegedly stolen.
According to him, the Armed Forces have the capacity to defeat insurgency without foreign intervention if properly funded, equipped, and motivated, insisting that the challenge is not incompetence but sustained neglect.
The senior advocate accused some military officers and their civilian collaborators of looting security funds, adding that court decisions freeing such suspects had compounded the crisis facing frontline troops.
He cited cases in which high-profile defendants accused of stealing billions of naira were discharged, arguing that offences like money laundering fall squarely within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
Falana urged the federal government to urgently recover stolen security funds and redirect them to arms procurement, stressing that safeguarding Nigeria is a constitutional duty that must not be outsourced to foreign powers.
