News

Court Awards Man N100m Against DSS Over Illegal Detention

Published

2 years ago

June 23, 2022

Editor

An FCT High Court in Abuja on Thursday awarded N100 million compensation against the Department of State Services(DSS) and three others for violating the fundamental rights of a man, Abdullahi Isiaka.

Others are the DSS Director FCT Command, the Director-Generall, and an operative, Ibrahim Wase.

Isiaka alleged that the first to third respondents detained him for 85 days, from Nov 19 , 2020 to Feb.12, 2021.

Delivering judgment on the enforcement of right filed by Isiaka, Justice Peter Kekemeke held that the applicant had proved his case against the respondents to have the judgment in his favour.

He held that the 1st – 3rd Respondents did not place materials before the Court to enable the it hold that the Applicant was detained lawfully.

“Detaining the applicant for about 85 days without charging him to Court is a gross violation of his rights to personal liberty.

“His dignity was eroded while his right to fair hearing was truncated.

“Law enforcement agencies should be reminded that they are not lords to themselves.

“They are not masters of Nigerian citizens, they are not colonial forces on the prey to conquer, subdue dehumanise and torture.

“They must learn to operate within their limits,” he held.

The 1st – 3rd Respondents had relied on a Petition they received against the applicant bordering on threat to life, cheating, criminal conspiracy, breach of trust etc.

The petition is contained in Exhibit SS1 attached to the Counter Affidavit.

The judge noted that it was true that there was a petition by someone bordering on land transaction, which was the cause of the action of the three respondents.

He added that, If a crime was committed which had nothing to do with internal security, the 1st – 3rd Respondents had no business interfering in such matters.

“In the state of general insecurity in which we find ourselves, it worries on how the DSS will still find time to dabble into land transactions or ordinary criminal infractions which the Police can deal with.

“Consequently, the application succeeds, the respondents are hereby ordered to produce the Applicant from custody for the purpose of being granted bail and an order of Court granting the Applicant bail.

“It is hereby declared that the arrest and detention of the Applicant is unlawful ,being a violation of the Applicant’s fundamental right.

“The activities of the 1st, 2nd & 3rd Respondents in interfering in land transaction matters between private individuals is beyond their functions and objectives.

“It, therefore amounts to unlawful intimidation and harassment of the Applicant.

“An order of injunction restraining the Respondents from taking further steps in connection with the matter and
N100 Million compensation in favour of the applicant is hereby granted,” he held.

The applicant claimed that sometime in 2015, he was given some title documents of a piece of land situated at Lugbe Abuja by another person to sell.

He added that he gave the documents to one Akin who said he had a buyer and that they were genuine and the land existed.

The applicant also claimed claimed that on Nov. 19, 2020 at about noon, he was arrested in his house without a warrant.

He added that since his arrest, he had remained in detention at the DSS FCT detention facility, Asokoro.

He also alleged that the officers of demanded N10 Million which his friend gave.

VANGUARD

News

Bauchi Commissioner Gifts 3 Students Cash For Prompt Resumption, Ability To Read

Published

8 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The Bauchi state Commissioner for Education, Dr Jamila Dahiru, on Thursday, gave a cash gift of N5,000 each to three Senior Secondary II students of Government Science Secondary School, Misau for their determination to succeed in Education.

Two of the students, Adamu Adamu, Mustapha and Haruna impressed the commissioner for their presence in school in the first day of resumption while Abdullahi Musa marvelled her for his reading ability and comprehension.

According to the commissioner, the gesture was to appreciate their determination to learn as well and motivate other students to emulate them.

While paying a courtesy visit to the Emir of Misau, Alh. Ahmed Sulaiman, the commissioner disclosed that the Bauchi State government was working with stakeholders from the Misau Emirate to fine-tune modalities of temporarily accommodating the students of Federal Science Technical College, Misau at its Science Secondary School Misau.

She said the college made the request in a letter to the ministry stating that the facility given to them could no longer accommodate their students population, hence the resolve to convene the stakeholders meeting to fine-tune ways of sharing the facility for the betterment of the state.

She disclosed that government science secondary school Misau, one of the best in the state in terms of befitting facilities has the capacity to accommodate up to five thousand students, but currently houses about three hundred students.

She appreciated the Emir for his continued support to programmes and policies of the government with more emphasis on the education sector.

Speaking on behalf of the Emir and other stakeholders, a retired Director with the Ministry, Muhammad Musa, expressed gratitude to the Commissioner for the honour and promised to assemble critical stakeholders from the emirate so as to arrive at an acceptable decision for the benefit of all and sundry.

News

NDIC Obtains Order To Wind Down 96 Microfinance, Mortgage Banks

Published

8 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation has said that it has obtained Winding up Orders for 96 out of 183 microfinance and primary mortgage banks whose licenses were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria in May 2023.

The Managing Director, NDIC, Bello Hassa, revealed this at a sensitisation seminar for Judges of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday organised by the NDIC, to enlighten the judiciary on the intricacies of the banking industry.

Hassan said, “As at date, the Corporation had obtained Winding up Orders for 96 out of 183 Micro Finance and Primary Mortgage Banks whose licenses were revoked by the CBN in May 2023, in less than one Year of revocation.”

He added that the NDIC was committed to fulfilling its mandate of protecting depositors through bank supervision, failure resolution and liquidation so as to boost confidence in the financial system.

Speaking on the role that the judiciary plays in the fulfillment of the mandate, Hassan said, “We recognise the judiciary as one of our critical stakeholders. With this, when cases are brought before them, they can receive accelerated hearing and proclamation of Justice.”

Citing some of the achievements from previous editions of the seminar, Hassan said that instances where liquidation-related litigations experienced delays were reduced.

News

JUST IN: 36 Speakers Back State Police

Published

10 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

Speakers of the 36 Houses of Assembly in Nigeria on Thursday expressed support for the National Assembly’s ongoing efforts to alter the 1999 constitution to create state policing in the country.

The Speakers made their resolution known at the end of their meeting in Abuja.

The Senate and House of Representatives are currently working to amend various constitutional provisions, including those regarding state police, financial autonomy for local government, fiscal federalism, and mayoral status for the FCT.

Details shortly…