Court Releases Ex-Aide To Defence Minister Matawalle Arrested For Treason, Gun-Running
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the release of Bashir Hadejia, a former aide to the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.
Hadejia, who was an aide to Matawalle during his time as Zamfara governor, was arrested on charges including treason, subversive activities, gun-running, and transnational crimes during a joint operation of Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Hadejia was accused of using dangerous goods as a cover for aiding terrorism and other criminal activities in Nigeria’s northern states.
Granting his freedom in a judgment issued on Tuesday, Justice Emeka Nwite described his detention for over four months without being charged to court as unlawful and in breach of his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the constitution.
The court also awarded a N10 million fine against the Nigerian police for ‘illegally detaining’ Hadejia.
Justice Nwite made an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Inspector-General (IG) of Police, his agents or servants, from any unlawful arrest and detention of Hadejia.
The judge declared the invasion of the applicant’s residence by the agents of the police on August 12, 2024, as illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.
He held that the act was a flagrant violation of Hadejia’s fundamental rights as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 36 (5), 37 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Hadejia was arrested in August 2024 at his residence in Abuja over allegations bordering on “treason and subversion against the state.”
However, in the originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1235/2024, filed by Mahmud Magaji, SAN, on Hadejia’s behalf, the lawyer sued the Inspector-General (IG) of Police and Bello Matawalle (Minister of State for Defence) as 1st and 2nd respondents.
Also joined in the suit dated and filed on August 22, 2024, were State Security Service (SSS) or DSS; Chief of Naval Staff; Chief of Defence Intelligence, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA); and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as the 3rd to 6th respondents respectively.
The senior lawyer sought nine reliefs including “a declaration that the abduction, harassment, intimidation, unlawful arrest and detention of the applicant (Bashir Hadejia) by the agents of the respondents on 12th of August, 2024, based on the political disagreement between the applicant and the 2nd respondent (Matawalle) is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.”
He sought an order enforcing Hadejia’s fundamental rights to liberty by directing his unconditional release pending the determination of any allegations that may be raised against him by the respondents.
He equally sought an order awarding the sum of N500 million as general and exemplary damages against the respondents.