Falana writes FCT CJ over 150 persons in military detention

A human rights activist and senior lawyer, Femi Falana has written to the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Justice Abdu Kafarati, asking him to ensure that the civilians being detained at various military detention centres in the country are tried without delay.

In the letter dated June 25, 2019, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said the Nigerian Navy had ignored calls for the release of “about 150 persons held in naval detention facilities in Lagos, Abuja, Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt”.

He added that the court orders directing the navy to release of some of the detainees were treated with contempt.

Citing Section 34 (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015,  Falana said the law stipulated that high court judges should visit the detention facilities of the Federal Government agencies authorised to make arrests.

The senior lawyer on May 19 wrote to  President Muhammadu Buhari, asking him to intervene by ensuring the release or trial of 40 citizens kept incommunicado by the navy in various detention facilities.

Falana, while listing the detainees in his letter, had said his firm received “petitions from the family members of the citizens being detained without trial by the Nigerian Navy”.

However, in a follow-up letter dated June 25 to the FCT Chief Judge, he called for chief magistrates and federal high court judges to be made to visit the detention centres.

The letter partly reads, “In order to end the illegal detention of criminal suspects and political detainees in the country, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 has made copious provisions for pretrial detention, detention time limits and monthly inspection of all police stations by chief magistrates designated by the Chief Judge of each state.

“It is further provided by Section 34(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 that judges of the high court having jurisdiction shall visit all detention facilities of other Federal Government agencies authorised to make arrests. During such visits, the judges or the chief magistrates shall have the power to grant bail or order the release of a suspect or order their arraignment.”

It added, “The authorities of the Nigerian Navy have ignored our demand that about 150 persons held in naval detention facilities in Lagos, Abuja, Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt be released. In fact, the orders of courts directing the Nigerian Navy to release of some of the detainees have been treated with contempt.”