A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has threatened to jail the Director-General of Department of State Services, (DSS), Yusuf Bichi over the continued detention of National President of Mumuye Youths, Ntari Hassan Danladi.
Mumuye is one of the largest ethnic groups in Taraba State.
Ntari was arrested by the operatives of the DSS in his office at Mumuye House, Mile Six, Jalingo Taraba State on May 6, 2021, on allegation of having links with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Justice A. I. Chikere on November 29, 2021, ordered the DSS to release him after he was abducted by the service and detained illegally, but the service flagrantly disobeyed the order.
Ntari’s lawyer, P. D. Pius had prayed the court to order his client’s release after spending six months in custody without trial. His remand order has expired since September 22, 2021.
In the court order exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday titled “Notice of Consequences of Disobedience of Court Order,” dated February 9, 2022, the court ordered the Director of DSS to immediately release the youth leader or face contempt of court and be liable to be sent to prison.
The notice is contained in Form 48 and was served on the DSS on Monday, February 14, 2022.
The order reads, ” Take notice that if you, within the named State Security Service (also known as DSS) neglect to obey this order of Federal High Court per A.I. Chikere made on 29th November 2021 attached or if State Security Service disobeys this order you, Director General State Security Service Abuja, Abbas A. Olayiwola Esq, State Security Service Abuja and S.M. Bello Esq, State Security Service Abuja may be held in contempt of court and liable to imprisonment.”
SaharaReporters gathered that Ntari is being detained at a secret facility of the Nigerian Army on the order of DSS and has been denied access to his wife and daughter.
Pius had in a letter dated December 6, 2021, which was addressed to the Chief of Army Staff, requested his release from their facility. He also attached a copy of the release order.
But in his response to the letter, the Chief of Staff claimed that the Nigerian Army was never a party to the case before the Federal High Court and that such an order was not binding on the army as non-party to the action.
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