SSS detains retired Assistant Director for 48 days without trial for alleged closeness to Magu

Retired senior official of the State Security Service has been held without trial by the agency for 48 days and
counting over his alleged ties to Ibrahim Magu.
Abba Kaka Mohammed was arrested by SSS agents on July 17 but had neither been released not charged to court ever since, his lawyers said.
The Nigerian law allows a maximum of 48 hours for a suspect to be charged to court or freed on
administrative bail. But Mr. Mohammed has now spent weeks languishing in detention without
arraignment, amidst concerns by his family that he might have lost one of his eyes after being brutalised by SSS operatives in custody.
His lawyers were granted access to him for the first time on Tuesday August 29th.
They had since approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court for fundamental rights enforcement proceeding against the SSS and
Attorney-General Abubakar Malami.
His family members revealed that  Mr. Mohammed had taken critically ill and should be released or charged to court in order to get adequate medical attention.
Mr. Mohammed retired last year as an Assistant Director, Office of the Director General, ADODG, performing the role of a Chief of Staff to the
Director-General of the SSS, Lawal Daura. But his relationship with Mr. Daura subsequently deteriorated.
“The SSS DG accused him of holding grievances against the SSS, a claim that is clearly not true”.
A relative of the deceased added that Mr. Daura and his client had been long time acquaintances.
The relative, who asked not to be named for fear of being targeted by the SSS, said when Mr. Mohammed was arrested on July 17, he was taken
to his residence along the Airport Road in Abuja, and another one near Galadimawa neighbourhood, also in Abuja.
“But they found nothing after all the searches they
conducted, nothing implicating was found.”
Mr. Mohammed was then taken to the SSS custody,
where he was confined to a cell without adequate
care, the relative said confirming that Mr. Mohammed’s lawyer and his daughter were only
allowed to see him on tuesday August 29th
“They also accused him of being a front for Magu,
saying his long-time relationship with the EFCC
boss was suspicious,” the relative said.

Ibrahim Magu 

The relative said Mr. Daura had always known that
Mr. Mohammed was a friend of Mr. Magu, having
both hailed from Borno and being friends for over
a decade.
“The SSS officers just wanted him to implicate Magu
with anything, even when they’ve never had any
transactions together,” said the relative.
On August 25, lawyers from Femi Falana chambers
on behalf of Mr. Mohammed approached the Abuja
Division of the Federal High Court for the following
reliefs:
A declaration that the detention of the applicant
at Abuja by the first respondent in their detention
facility since July 17, 2017 till date without being
charged to court for a known offence is illegal
and unconstitutional as it violates the applicant’s
fundamental rights to personal liberty, dignity of
person and fair hearing as enshrined in section
34, 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and
Articles 5, 6 and 7 of the African Charter on
Human Rights and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification
and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
A declaration that the detention of the applicant
at Abuja by the first respondent without access to
his medical doctors, drugs, family and lawyers,
since July 17, 2017 till date is illegal and
unconstitutional as it violates the applicant’s
fundamental rights to health, freedom of
association as enshrined in Section 40 of the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
1999 (as amended) and Article 11 of the African
Charter on Human Rights and Peoples’ Rights
(Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10)
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
An order of this honourable court directing the
immediate and unconstitutional release of the
applicant from custody of the first respondent
forthwith.
An offer of this honourable court compelling the
respondents jointly and separately to pay to the
applicant the sum of N2,000,000,00 (Two billion
naira) as general and aggravated damages for the
illegal violation of his fundamental rights to life,
dignity of his person, fair hearing, health,
freedom of movement and freedom of
association.
An order of this honourable court compelling the
respondents joint or separately to publish in five
national dailies a public apology to the applicant
for two weeks for the violation of the applicant’s
fundamental rights to life, dignity of his person,
fair hearing, health, freedom of movement and
freedom of association.
An order of perpetual injunction restraining the
respondents from further violating the applicant’s
fundamental rights in any manner whatsoever
and howsoever without lawful justification.
Mr. Mohammed’s daughter also swore an affidavit
detailing how her father was arrested and the high
chances that he’d gone blind in one eye in custody
of the SSS.
The SSS could not be reached for comments due
to its refusal to name a spokesperson.
A spokesperson for the AGF, Saliu Isa, did not
respond to requests for comments.
The SSS is believed to be holding large number of
Nigerians over an extended period of time without
trial. The agency had declined to free a former
National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki,
despite several court rulings for his bail .
Mr. Mohammed’s ordeal adds to the fallout of the
worsening disaffection between Messrs. Daura and
Magu who have been locked in political and
administrative rivalry since Mr. Buhari tapped
them to head their respective agencies two years
ago.
Mr. Magu had also openly criticised the SSS,
describing them as an outfit without credibility when he appeared before the Senate for his last confirmation hearing.