WHAT ABOUT THE OBNOXIOUS DECREE 17 MR. PRESIDENT?

We must commend Mr President Muhammadu Buhari for the recognition of June 12, as Nigeria's Democracy day in the country's history because we are now beginning to address the injustice meted on innocent people all over the country.

For those complaining of this inhuman DECREE 17 during the administration of president Ibrahim Babangida as the nation's Military president when such DECREE was promulgated were the nation's Civil/Public servants.

Civil/Public servants are key structures that carry the weight of the nation's Public administration for the sustenance of every facet of developmental wellbeing of our people as servants of political leadership. They also serve as shock absorbers during military intrusion. They are to advise the conduct and implement approved policies and risk their lives in policies implementation. Instead of giving desired recognition for the role they play in carrying out the "donkey work" as encouragement for future performance and others to emulate, they end up suffering from the failure and the dictate of past maladministration by new set of leadership through the introduction of obnoxious policy like DECREE 17, of which Military leadership was giving the power of "life and death" on their innocent "subjects" the public servants in the manner they felt fit without recourse to the natural justice.

That was whenever the Military Governor or leadership wanted and meted on his "subject" should not be taken to any court of law anywhere in the country for adjudication no matter how grievous such action was, Mr President,

DECREE 17, Mr. President, is still in our national statute book despite our attachment to the 1999 constitution (as amended). Mr President, DECREE 17 is long overdue for proscription from our national democratic statute book and those innocent Civil/Public servants harshly treated, and still suffering from it's effects be compensated. Such proscription should be followed by payment of reparation of all entitlements to the Civil/Public servants affected by the truancy of this inhuman law and counter revolutionary posture.

Over to you Falana; lawyer of the underprivileged.