State of Emergency: FG won’t hesitate to sanction erring states, says Fagbemi

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on Monday, warned that the Federal Government will not hesitate to mete out sanctions, including a declaration of a state of emergency, in any state that threatens the economic interest of the country.

“So, it is Rivers State’s turn today. It can be anybody’s turn tomorrow. Let the signal be clearly signed for those who want to foment trouble, who want to make the practice of democracy and the enjoyment of the dividends of democracy a mirage, to think twice,” Fagbemi said.

Speaking to newsmen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while rationalizing President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency following the protracted political crisis in Rivers State, the AGF said that the declaration was a warning signal to other states whose actions may threaten the economic security of the country, suggesting that the government would invoke stricter sanctions.

Fielding a question on whether the Federal Government would release the allocation from the federation account to the state in view of the latest development, the Minister said if the administrator requests it, it will be released to him.

He said, “And to me, it will be in order for the release of that fund because the event of the extraordinary situation has brought them out of the normal situation of things.”

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Justifying Tinubu’s action, Fagbemi faulted the argument in some quarters that the Supreme Court had issued a previous judgment on the declaration of a state of emergency in states, stressing that situations and events were different.

“If it happens again, I will encourage Mr President to do the same, maybe this time with even greater vigour and vitality. So, the question of separating, treating, or giving preferential treatment to anybody does not arise.

“You give preferential treatment to anybody, you are giving preferential treatment to illegality. Just call a spade a spade.

“This is where I believe that we should put on our patriotism cap. It shouldn’t be about individuals. It should not be about anybody. It should be about the entity called Nigeria. But in this case, Rivers State,” the AGF said.