The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court, has ordered the Federal Government to justify the detention of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
The court also ordered the detained NSA to make a case against government challenging his detention since last December.
Presiding judge of the regional court, Justice Friday Chijioke Nwoke, gave the order in Abuja at the resumed hearing in a legal action instituted by Dasuki to challenge his alleged unlawful detention, unlawful seizure of properties and infringement on his fundamental right to freedom of liberty.
Justice Nwoke, while ruling in a motion by Federal Government seeking to lead oral evidence against Dasuki to justify his detention, 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.
The presiding judge also 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 defence by government must be done within one day.
“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 defence the following day, May 19 after which we will adjourn for judgment”, the court held.
Dasuki had dragged the Federal Government before the ECOWAS Court praying the regional court to intervene in his detention without trial.
The ex-NSA asked the court to void the detention, the seizure of his properties and to bar government from further detaining him without a lawful court order.
SEYI ANJORIN
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