Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Department of the State Services (DSS) to immediately release a Jalingo based businessman, Ntari Hassan Danladi, allegedly clamped into detention more than six months ago.
The business man was said to have been detained by the security agency over his alleged link with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafran (IPoB).
Danladi was specifically said to have been arrested on or about the 6th day of May, 2021 and has been under the custody of the SSS without any complaint or any charge filed against him by the Federal Government.
Justice Chikere made the order for his release while delivering ruling on a motion on notice marked FHC/ABJ/CS/450/2021), filed by Pius Danba Pius, on behalf of Danladi.
In an enroll order of the court obtained on Thursday, Justice Chikere noted that the order to detain the Danladi was made on 24th day of June 2021, and that the order was to expire after ninety (90) days.
The court held that since the ninety (90) days detention order expired on 22nd day of September, 2021, “there is no application by the State Security Service for renewal of the detention order.
The judge added: “That the order of detention having expired and there being no renewal, the 1st Respondent/Applicant is to be released from custody of the State Security Service immediately” Justice Anwuli ordered.
The motion on notice dated 18th November, 2021, and filed on November, 19, had prayed the Court for an order directing the respondent (SSS) to produce the applicant (Danladi) in court immediately and show cause why he should not be released unconditionally having been detained for more than six months without a criminal charge preferred against him.
Meanwhile, briefing judiciary reporters, counsel to the detainee, Mr Pius Danba Pius, said Danladi is being unlawfully incacerated in the detention facility of the DSS for allegedly having links with the outlawed IPoB.
He said Danladi was arrested in Jalingo by operatives of DSS, and since then, no charge has been preferred against him.
“We have obtained an order of court for Ntari Hassan Danladi to be released immediately by the SSS.
“The order made on November 29, 2021 by Justice Anwuli Chikere has been served on the SSS through the Court’s bailiff.
“As at the time of this briefing, the SSS has refused to release our client, an action that is a flagrant disobedience to a valid order of court” Pius stated.
He therefore called on the SSS to as a matter of urgency, respect and obey the order of a court of competent jurisdiction to release his client unconditionally.