A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), on Wednesday, told Nigerians paying a ransom to secure the release of their abducted loved ones to feel free to approach the courts to compel the federal government to make a refund.

Falana said this is because “the responsibility for protecting lives and properties lies squarely with the government.”

He disclosed this at the 18th Anti-Corruption Situation Room (ACSR), organized by the HEDA Resource Centre in partnership with the McArthur Foundation.

The senior advocate who was the keynote speaker at the event also flayed anti-graft agencies in the land for what he called the selective prosecution of corrupt cases; a development he stressed, makes winning the fight against corruption difficult.

Falana said:

“If a family pays a ransom to secure freedom of their abducted ones; they should approach the courts and demand a refund of the amount paid because the primary responsibility of government is to secure the people.”

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He also lampooned the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, which he said has been reduced to a status of a non-governmental organisation in the past few years.

According to him, the scourge of budget padding is yet to abate because the government has not demonstrated sufficient eagerness to tame the trend.

Lamenting the failure to learn from history, Falana said beyond the public presentation of the appropriation bill by the President lies some budgets that are shielded from the public, “to the shame of our nation.”