SaharaReporters on February 16, 2022, exclusively reported how Justice A.I. Chikere threatened to jail the Director-General of the DSS over the continued detention of Ntari despite an order by the court demanding his release.
The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi has told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to hold the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and Nigerian Army responsible for the continued detention of the National President of Mumuye Youths, Ntari Hassan Danladi.
Mumuye is one of the largest ethnic groups in Taraba State.
SaharaReporters on February 16, 2022, exclusively reported how Justice A.I. Chikere threatened to jail the Director-General of the DSS over the continued detention of Ntari despite an order by the court demanding his release.
The youth leader was arrested by the operatives of DSS in his office at Mumuye House, Mile 6, Jalingo, Taraba State on May 6, 2021, over alleged links with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/450/2021, which was filed on February 18, 2022, and obtained by SaharaReporters, the DG of the DSS prayed the court to vacate the order of committal proceedings issued against him.
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He added that the service had transferred the case of Ntari to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) for prosecution upon the completion of the investigation.
The DG claimed that the AGF is now responsible for his detention at Military Holding Facility, Wawa, Niger State.
Bichi claimed that it is the Nigerian Army that controls the facility and not the DSS; therefore, the DSS could not release or produce the suspect as ordered by the court on November 29, 2022.
He added that a prima facie case of terrorism had been established against the Respondents.
The motion read in part, "That upon completion of investigation, the case file of the Respondents was forwarded to the Attorney-General of the Federation for prosecution while the Respondents were transferred to the Miltary facility at Wawa in Niger State where terrorists are being tried.
"That the Order of Court was still in subsistence when the Applicant moved the Respondents to Military Holding Facility, Wawa, Kainji,
Niger State for speedy prosecution, as a prima facie case of terrorism, has been established against the Respondents.
"That I know as a fact that the Respondents and their case files are no longer in the Applicant's custody and as such, the Applicant cannot account for them.
"That the Applicant did not disobey the Court Order of 29 November, 2021 out of disrespect, as the Respondents are no longer in the Applicant's custody.
"That the Respondent is not in the habit of disregarding Court Orders."
Counsel for Danladi, P. D. Pius had asked the court to commence contempt proceedings against the DG of the DSS for failure to release his client who has been in detention since May 2021.
Meanwhile, the lawyer had also threatened to sue the AGF, Nigerian Army, and the DSS for flagrant disobedience to the court order.
He is also seeking N100 billion as damages for the abuse of the fundamental rights of his client.