The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has said the Federal Government’s decision not to unfreeze the bank accounts of #EndSARS protesters immediately was because it was still weighing options as allowed by the law on such matters.
A court during the week ruled that the accounts should be unfrozen following an amicable agreement reached over the matter with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“One, the consideration of or a possibility of wholehearted compliance with the court order; that is, comprehensive, unconditional compliance with the order relating with the unfreezing of the #EndSARS account.
“But, that does not take away the right of government to give a further consideration when the need arises. A consideration for example, of excising the right of appeal against the order, of excising a right of appeal against the order if the need arises coupled with the right of stay of execution of the order or perhaps, application of variation of order among others.
“While the government has chosen to exercise those rights and indeed an appeal of variation of the court order or an appeal for setting aside the order or perhaps stay of execution of the order, you cannot within the context of the rule law adjudge the government as operating in breach of the order.
“It all depends on, for example, where parties unilaterally settle for arrangement or the order is a product of settlement arrangement, I think the possibility of considering options associated with appeal of variation of the order or setting aside the court order may not necessarily come into play.
“It all depends on the prevailing circumstances. It is the prevailing circumstances that determine what decisions, what provision, what direction the party involved in the suit or the party affected by the order will consider as the next line of action to take.
