By Joseph Jibueze
Some suspected Boko Haram insurgents have urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to declare their detention for 12 years without trial as illegal and unconstitutional.
Through their lawyer Mr Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem of the Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy Initiative (PRAI), they are praying for an order directing their unconditional release forthwith.
They also seek an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from further interfering with their fundamental rights in any manner.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Controller-General of the Correctional Service are the respondents.
The applicants seek an order directing the Federal Government to pay them N303million as compensation for their unlawful and unconstitutional arrest and detention.
PRAI filed the fundamental rights enforcement suit on the suspects’ behalf.
It argues that their being in custody since July 2009 was illegal.
The suspects were moved to Lagos in March 2011 and are currently detained at the Kirikiri Maximum and Medium Custodial Centres without trial.
They claimed they were denied access to their families and lawyers.
In the suit numbered FHC/L/CS/166/2021, PRAI is praying for a declaration that their arrest and continued detention for 11 years without proper arraignment and trial in a court of competent jurisdiction is unlawful, unconstitutional and constitutes an infringement/violation of their fundamental rights to freedom of personal liberty and to be tried within a reasonable time.
The suit will be heard on Monday before Justice Mohammed Liman.
This article originally appeared in The Nation
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