The Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has declared the arrest and continued detention of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki unlawful, arbitrary and a violation of his right to liberty.
The Court said it was wrong for the Federal Government to continue to detain him over undisclosed offences after he had been granted bail by three deferment courts before which he had been arraigned.
The court, in a unanimous judgment of a three-man panel, read by Justice Friday Chijioke Nwoke awarded N15 million damages against the Federal Government and ordered it to immediately release him and his properties that were confiscated by state’s agents.
The court, which held that the Nigerian state was unable to substantiate its continued detention of Dasuki, also faulted the search of his houses in Abuja and Sokoto without valid search warrant.
The judgment was on a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed earlier this year by Dasuki.