*As court rules on Monday

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory at Jabi has slated Monday for judgment in a fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by Col. Nicholas Ashinze, a former aide to the ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

Ashinze who has been in detention since December 23, 2015, is seeking an order releasing him on bail.

He equally beseeched the court for an order directing the respondents to tender a public apology and pay him N500m as compensation for wrongful detention.

Former National Security Adviser, NSA, to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki

Cited as respondents in the suit were the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army.

Ashinze through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, alleged that he had been in custody of the respondents for no verifiable reasons.

He urged the court to declare that his arrest and continued detention since December 23, 2015 “without being given any reason and without granting him administrative bail within 24 hours or 48 hours of his arrest and detention, is illegal, wrongful, unlawful and unconstitutional.”

Ozekhome argued that the action of the respondents against his client constituted “a blatant violation” of the Applicant’s fundamental rights as enshrined in sections 34 (1), 35 (1), (3), (4) & (6), 36 (1), 37, 41 (1), 44 (1) and 46 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, as well as various provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Even though the respondents shunned the suit, having failed to send any legal representation, Ozekhome, who noted that they were duly served with the court process, prayed Justice Yusuf Haliru to grant his client’s reliefs.