Human Right Infringement: Dasuki Tackles Nigerian Govt in ECOWAS Court

Human Right Infringement: Dasuki Tackles Nigerian Govt in ECOWAS Court

Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), who is presently  facing trial in an alleged diversion of funds for the procurement of arms to fight Boko Haram, has dragged the Federal Government of Nigeria to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice in Abuja, seeking enforcement of his fundamental right to freedom.

The former NSA who was rearrested by the operatives of the Department of the State Security Service (DSS) shortly after perfecting the third bail granted him by the Nigerian Court, is asking the ECOWAS Court to enforce his fundamental rights as enshrined in the African Carter on the people and human rights and the Nigerian Constitution.

In an application filed by his laywer, Mr. Robert Emukpoeruo, the former NSA is asking the ECOWAS Court to declare as unlawful, unconstitutional and breach of his fundamental right his arrest since last year without a lawful court order.

The applicant also prayed the court to declare as unlawful and violation of his right to dignity of human person, privacy and family life guaranteed and protected right under Section 34 and 37 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Right and Article 12 of the Universal of Human Right, the action of the Federal Government of Nigeria for keeping him in a ‘dehumanizing’ condition after he has been granted bail by courts of competent jurisdiction and after he had fulfilled bail conditions for his release.

He also asked the ECOWAS court to declare that the invasion of his privacy, home, and correspondence at No 13, John Kadiya Street, Asokoro, Abuja; Sultan Abubakar Road Sokoto and Sabon Birni Road Sokoto between July 16 and 17, 2015, and forceful and unlawful seizures of his property without any lawful order or warrant of a court constituted a gross violation of his fundamental rights under Section 44 of the Nigerian Constitution and other relevant laws.

He therefore prayed for an order of the ECOWAS court compelling the federal government or its agents to forthwith release him and also to order the government to release to him all his unlawfully seized property during the invasion of his houses.