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In Lagos, some suspected members of Boko Haram insurgents who have been in police custody since 2009 without trial have urged the Federal High Court to declare their detention illegal and unconstitutional.
According to The Nation, the detained Boko Haram suspects have been in police custody for 11 years. Through their lawyer, Mr Ahmed Adetola Kazeem of the Prisoners Rights Advocacy Initiative (PRAI) pray for an unconventional release forthwith.
In addition to their prayer, they also seek an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from any manner of further interference with their fundamental rights.
In this case, the respondents are the Attorney General of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police, National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Controller General of the Correctional Service.
In the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by PRAI on behalf of the suspects, the applicants seek an order directing the Federal Government to pay them N303million as compensation for their unlawful and unconstitutional arrest and detention.
It argues that their being in custody since July 2009 was illegal.
According to the report, the suspects have been moved to Lagos since 2011 and are currently detained at the KiriKiri Maximum and Medium Custodial Centres without trial.
They also claimed that we’re denied access to their families and lawyers.
The suit which is 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 has been scheduled for hearing on Monday before Justice Mohammed Liman.
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