ECOWAS court orders FG to justify ex-NSA's detention within 24 hours

dimeji akinloye

May 18, 2016 2:15 AM

The court also ordered Dasuki to justify his case against the government challenging his detention since December 2015 within the next 24 hours.

Sambo Dasuki (right) and one of his counsels.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court has ordered the Federal Government to, in 24 hours, explain why former National Security Adviser (NSA) Colonel

Giving the order in Abuja on Tuesday, May 17, the presiding Judge of the regional court, Justice Friday Chijioke Nwoke, said the court will ensure the case is accelerated in the interest of justice.

Dasuki had dragged the Federal Government to the ECOWAS court to challenge his alleged unlawful detention, unlawful seizure of properties and infringement on his fundamental rights to freedom of liberty.

At the resumed hearing, while ruling in a motion by Federal Government seeking to lead oral evidence against Dasuki to justify his detention, Justice Nwoke said that the regional court having granted expeditious hearing in the case of alleged abuse of fundamental rights, will not do anything to defeat the accelerated hearing order.

READ: ECOWAS court backs Dasuki on unlawful detention suit

In the ruling, the judge granted the request of the Federal Government to call two witnesses, who are security operatives to lead oral evidence against Dasuki but ordered that the defense by government must be done within one day.

Justice Nwoke also ordered Dasuki to present his case on the abuse of his fundamental rights by government on Wednesday, May 18, while the Federal Government must put its defense at the disposal of the court on Thursday, May 19, 2016.

He said: “Having listened to parties in this matter and the parties having filed and put all necessary documents and exhibits at the disposal of this court and having granted accelerated hearing in this matter, it is in the interest of justice that this case must be expeditiously dealt with.

“In this regard, the plaintiff is hereby ordered to make out his case on Wednesday, May 18 and the defendant to ventilate its defense the following day, May 19 after which we will adjourn for judgment”.

Dasuki, in his suit against the government asked the ECOWAS court to award him a sum of N500 million as compensatory damages for his alleged unlawful detention, the alleged unlawful invasion of his house, seizure of properties and infringement on his rights.

He claimed that government had put him on trial in three different high courts on corruption charges where he was granted bail and that after meeting all the bail conditions, he was re-arrested on December 29, 2015 and has since been held incommunicado without lawful court order.

dimeji akinloye