The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has expressed worry over the detention of three of its members in Kuje Correctional Centre nine years after the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested them.
The IMN, through Mohammed Abdullahi, a member of the group, made this known on Friday in a statement in Abuja.
Abdullahi listed the victims as Malam Haruna Abbas, Ibraim Hussain and Adamu Sulaiman.
“We all know that it is a principle that any form of detention or imprisonment and all measures affecting the human rights of a person under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be ordered by, or be subject to the effective control of, a judicial or other authority.
“Three citizens of Nigeria are still in an illegal detention for about nine years, they were arrested in different places, by the department of state services (DSS) in Kano, Kaduna and Lagos States, which held them secretly with their families not knowing their whereabouts.
“There were speculations that all may not be well with them, which was why the DSS did not allow anyone, including their family members and lawyers access to them,” he said.
According to him, Malam Haruna Abbas, Ibraim Hussain and Adamu Sulaiman were detained by department of state services (DSS) in Abuja for close to four years between February 2013 and March 2017.
“Their detention in the DSS custody was illegal because it was not backed by court order. They were later arraigned in court and transferred to Kuje prison under court order,” he said.
He said during their stay in the DSS facility, they faced severe torture and abuse which led to their health challenges.
“Before they were moved to Kuje prison under court order, the department of state service arraigned them before Federal High Court 7 Abuja under Justice Ademola on 06/11/2014,” he said.
Abdullahi said the case was later transfered to Justice Anwuli Chikere on March 3, 2017, but is presently before Justice Emeka Nwite after the retirement of Chiikere.
He said though they were charged with offences ranging from terrorism, treasonable felony, cybercrime, etc, all of them had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Abdullahi said one of the defendants, Abbas, has suffered deteriorating health challenge.
“Malam Haruna Abbas suffers from hypertension among other illnesses, which reportedly has worsened due to his continued imprisonment. At the same times, he is denied direct access to his own personal doctors,” he alleged.
He further alleged that the prosecution has not brought forward enough evidence to prove the defendants guilty of the charges.
“The case may be called a dead end if no case submission could be submitted. The prosecutor (DSS) had already presented all and enough evidence and witnesses before the court, which in one way or the other cannot be related to the defendants.
“Malam Abbas has a wife with eleven (11) children. He lost two daughters while in prison. Malam Hussain also has a wife and seven (7) children and Malam Sulaiman has two (2) wives and four (4) children with another four (4) orphans under his care,” he said.
