Society Gists

On 15 August, we reported on this platform that Mr Femi Falana threatened to drag the National Human rights Commission to court if it “fails to intervene in the detention of certain individuals without trial.” 

Falana, according to our earlier report, alleged that 67 people were being detained in two ships in Apapa and Marina. Now thisconverted is of the ships where the Nigerian Navy has kept 10 Nigerians without trial since October 27, 2018.

As we reported:

Mr Femi Falana has fired an open letter, dated 15 August, 2919, to the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, 19, Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama District, Abuja, entitled, “Re: Request for Release of 40 Nigerian Citizens from illegal custody of Nigerian Navy”,  protesting against the detention of 57 people by the Nigerian Navy, saying they are being detained in crowded cells at the NNS Beecroft, Apapa, Lagos while 10 others are incarcerated inside a vessel at Marina, Lagos. He said even  even though the 67 people have been accused of committing undisclosed criminal offences they have been detained by the Nigerian Navy for periods ranging “from 3 months to 18 months without any remand order issued by a Magistrate Court or any Judge in Nigeria.  The names of the 67 detainees are set out and attached to this letter.”

He added: “ It may  interest the Commission to know that the authorities of the Nigerian Navy have continued to detain Navy Captain Dada Labinjo in an underground cell in the detention facility of the Defence Intelligence Agency at Abuja since September 12, 2018 in contravention of the Anti Torture Act, 2017 which has prohibited the detention of any person in any underground cell in Nigeria. As if that is not enough, the authorities of the Nigerian Navy have refused to comply with the order of the Federal High Court for the release of the detained senior military officer from illegal custody.”