Provide Round-the-clock Protection For El-Zakzaky, Wife Upon Release, Court Orders Police
Ibrahim El-Zakzaky[/caption]
The Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Justice G.O. Kolawole, has ordered round-the-clock police protection for the leader of the Shi’ite Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife anytime they are released from custody.
Besides, the court ordered the authorities to provide them a decent accommodation alongside their family.
Respondents in the suit with number: FHC/ABJ/CS/281/2016 are the Department of State Service, the Nigeria Police Force and the Attorney General of the Federation. El-Zakzaky’s lawyer, Femi Falana SAN, had approached the court for the release of the religious leader and his wife from detention.
Advertisement
The court held: “The Respondents shall within 45 days of this judgement make proper and decent arrangement of a residential abode for the applicant and his family in Kaduna State or anywhere of their choice within the northern region, where the applicant and his wife and their children can relocate when released upon the expiration of 45 days from today, that is December 2, 2016,” the order read.
“Let me state clearly and for the avoidance of doubt that the failure by the government to effect the release of the applicant and his wife from its custody or any illegal custody whatsoever, upon the expiration of the 45th day from December 2, 2016, such failure shall not only constitute a deliberate act of disobedience of these orders, but it will crystallize into fresh cause of action of infraction of the Applicant’s rights and his wife to personal liberty guaranteed by the Constitution of Nigeria 1999, as amended.
“The Inspector General of Police or any of its subordinate officers not below the rank of Assistant Inspector General when he received the applicant and his wife as ordered, shall take immediate steps within 24 hours, convey the applicant and his wife under necessary security escort to their place of abode as would have been provided by the 1st Respondent, DSS, working in conjunction with the third Respondent, AGF.
“The 2nd Respondent, Police, shall then provide the applicant and his wife police protection which shall operate round the clock until the alleged threats which were not provided by any admissible evidence but left in the realm of speculation are moved or significantly diminished.”
