By TINA TIMOTHY

Human rights lawyer and activist, Femi Falana (SAN), has condemned the Nigerian Army directive for immediate withdrawal of 366 personnel studying civil courses in Army schools across the country, saying that such directive was unfair, discriminatory and wrongful.

Consequently, the Public interest Advocate has said he would take “appropriate legal action to enforce the fundamental rights of the affected students.”

In a recent letter to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Farouk Yahaya, Falana outlined various faults of the Army in this regard, ranging from the various military schools advertising, offering admissions and duly admitting the students, the admitted students having completed first semester and preparing for second semester examinations, affected students being only ND1 and HD1, amongst others, noting that if there was any violation, such violation was done by the Army itself and not the innocent students, hence “the sin of the Nigerian Army should not be visited on the innocent personnel/students who are craving for better skills to serve the Army better.”

Falana said in the letter dated 10th October, 2022, a copy of which was sighted by News Express: “We are a firm of human rights lawyers and your recent directive under reference, requesting immediate withdrawal of 366 personnel currently studying civil courses in various Army training schools in Nigeria has come to our notice.

“We view your said directive as unfair, discriminatory and wrongful for the following reasons:

“That it was the various schools that advertised, offered admissions and duly admitted the personnel to study their respective civil courses.

“That the personnel on their part, particularly the 366 in ND1 and HD1 now affected had resumed classes, taken part of their semester assessments and prepared to take their 2nd semester examinations scheduled to commence on Monday 8th August, 2022.

“Consequently, we are of the firm view that if the Army policy and guidelines referred to in your directive was in anyway violated, such violation was done by the Army itself and not the innocent students.

“Accordingly, the sin of the Nigerian Army should not be visited on the innocent personnel/ students who are craving for better skills to serve the Army better.”

Falana argued that if those currently in ND2 and HND2 are allowed to continue while withdrawing the others, it will amount to selective justice and clear discrimination against them. He therefore urged the Army to withdraw the directive and allow all who are already admitted to complete their respective studies.

“If those in ND2 and HND2 whose admissions apparently also contravened the cited policy and guidelines are allowed to complete their programmes on account of being in final years as stated in your directive, it will amount to selective justice and clear discrimination against those in ND1 and HND1 who by your directive are to immediately but wrongfully be withdrawn.

“We therefore prayerfully request for the Withdrawal or Suspension of the implementation of the directive to enable all personnel who had been duly admitted, including the 366 personnel in ND1 and HND1 to complete their respective civil courses.

“Take notice that the Army having successfully admitted the students to study their various civil courses cannot be legally be heard to complain. We shall take the appropriate legal action to enforce the fundamental rights of the affected students, seeking redress in the event of your refusal to consider our request herein.

“We do hope, however, that you will, as usual, be guided by the dictates of fairness and justice by reversing and or withdrawing the directive,” Falana added.