Abuja Federal Court Orders Release of Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria, Awards Damages
In a significant ruling, a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate and unconditional release of Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria, a prominent cleric who was arrested late last year following an investigation into a suspected coup plot. The court also declared the restriction placed on his bank account illegal and awarded him N4 million in damages.
The cleric was detained after traveling to Abuja to address issues surrounding the freezing of his bank account, which was linked to an alleged N2 million transaction under investigation. In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu on Monday, the court held that Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria’s fundamental rights had been violated, citing breaches of Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The suit was filed by Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria through his lawyer, Sunusi Musa, SAN, against several respondents, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), the Attorney-General of the Federation, Jaiz Bank Plc, and the State Security Service (SSS).
In its ruling, the court directed Jaiz Bank to release the cleric forthwith and lift the restriction placed on his bank account number 0005620270 without delay. The court further held that the action of the EFCC and the bank in restricting the account without a court order was unlawful and amounted to a breach of the cleric’s fundamental rights. It consequently awarded N1 million each against the relevant respondents and a total of N4 million in damages jointly and severally against the EFCC and Jaiz Bank in favor of Sheikh Abdulkadir Zaria.
Additionally, the court ordered the EFCC and Jaiz Bank to publish a written apology to Sheikh Abdulkadir Zaria for the violation of his rights, in line with the Constitution. This ruling underscores the importance of upholding fundamental rights and the rule of law, even in cases involving high-profile individuals and sensitive investigations.
