President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that he will not sacrifice national security on the altar of due process because the concept of rule of law is subject to national interest.

Buhari, who spoke on Sunday in Abuja when he opened the 2018 annual general conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) asserted that where national security and public interest are threatened, the individual rights of citizens must give way.

He reminded lawyers in the country of the Supreme Court’s position on the issue, where he disclosed that the apex court had had cause to take side with the greater good of the Nigerian society on the issue of rule of law and overriding national interest.

“Rule of law must be subject to the supremacy of the nation’s security and national interest. Our apex court has had cause to adopt a position on this issue in this regard and it is now a matter of judicial recognition that, where national security and public interest are threatened or there is a likelihood of their being threatened, the individual rights of those allegedly responsible must take second place, in favour of the greater good of the society,” Buhari said.

While hailing the theme of the conference ‘Transition, Transformation and Sustainable Institutions’, the President said  it was apt in the light of the country’s contemporary domestic and global challenges.

“I also consider it significant in view of the fact that it once more demonstrates the willingness of the NBA to address issues, not only related to the immediate practice of law but more importantly, to solutions to wider society’s problems,” he added.