*Photo: IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu *
Lawyers representing Alhaji Muhammed and Bashir Lambo have petitioned the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police over alleged prolonged detention of their clients without being charged to court.
The lawyers, in a petition signed by the lead counsel, Mr Muhammad-Awwal Abdullahi, expressed concern that after more than four weeks of being in custody, their clients had neither been arraigned nor granted administrative bail.
The petition, dated Aug. 12 and received by the office of the I-G, was made available to newsmen on Friday in Abuja.
The lawyers alleged that Muhammed and Lambo were arrested by officers of the Force Intelligence Department (FID) on July 28.
They said they were subsequently transferred to the IGP Monitoring Department, where they had allegedly remained in custody without being charged before a court or granted bail.
The petitioners contended that the continued detention of their clients violated their constitutional rights to personal liberty, particularly the provisions of Section 35(1), (4) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
They argued that persons arrested are required to be brought before a court of competent jurisdiction within a reasonable time.
They submitted that the prolonged detention of their clients without arraignment amounted to a violation of their fundamental rights.
They said that the continued detention of Muhammed and Lambo had caused them emotional distress and psychological trauma.
The lawyers therefore urged the I-G to intervene urgently and secure the immediate release of the two men on administrative bail, pending the conclusion of any investigation.
In the alternative, they urged the police to charge their clients before a competent court without further delay.
They urged the police authorities to address the matter in the interest of justice, fairness and respect for the rule of law.
The petition followed an order of the Abuja High Court presided over by Justice A.M. Abdullahi in a suit marked: FCT/HC/CV/3554/26.
Justice Abdullahi had, on Aug. 10, ordered the police authorities to produce the two detainees before the court and explain why they were still being held in detention and why they should not be granted bail.
The suit was filed by Muhammed and Lambo through their lawyers.
The judge, in the ex-parte motion, directed the respondents to produce the applicants before the court and show cause why they were still in the detention facility and why the applicants should not be granted bail.
Justice Muhammed then adjourned the matter until Aug. 17 for hearing.
The applicants had, among other reliefs, sought declarations that their continued detention violated their fundamental rights.
They also prayed the court to award general damages of ₦950 million against the respondents.