NBA Flays Continued Detention of Dasuki, El-Zakzaky
As the country yesterday commemorated this year’s Democracy Day, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has voiced its displeasure over the continued detention of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), and the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as the Shi’ite group, Ibramim El-Zakyzaky, and his wife, by the federal government despite court orders which granted them bail.
The National President of the NBA, A.B Mahmoud (SAN), who disclosed the position of the association during a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, remarked that such disobedience to court orders is uncalled for and does not show compliance to rule of law.
“The NBA is appalled at the continued detention of certain individuals in blatant disobedient to court orders. Among these individuals are El-Zakyzaky his wife and Dasuki. While we recognise the seriousness of the charges in which individuals were held, we nevertheless viewed their continued detention as unjustified and contrary to the express court orders. We call on the government to without further delay, respect theses orders,” Mahmoud stated.
Similarly, the NBA further called for the termination of investigations against judges who were accused of corruption but have not been charged before the court since the past eight months.
Mahmoud said: “In the wake of the arrest and detention of certain judicial officers by the Department of State Services (DSS), the NBA had taken the view that the judges affected should recluse themselves from judicial functions until the investigation and outcomes of those investigations are determined, we note that nearly eight months after those investigations were launched, some of the judges have not been prosecuted or charged before any court of law.
“This situation is completely unsatisfactory and unacceptable. The NBA calls on the government to terminate the investigation against those judges to enable them resume their work as judicial officers.”
On the alleged plans to overthrow the current administration by the military, while the NBA condemned the move in strong terms, it, however, commended the military for its timely intervention.
“In recent days there have been suggestion in the media of possible instigation from segment of political class for military intervention in the governance of the country, this follows statement credited to the Chief of Army Staff of unorthodox approaches by politicians to the Nigerian military. The NBA wishes to express its concerns and condemned in very strong terms any such move from whatever quarters. Nigeria democracy and democratic institutions must be imperiled by any undemocratic change of government.”