The alleged mastermind of the April 14
bomb blast that killed over 75 persons and
wounded 100 others at a crowded motor park in
Nyanya Abuja, Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, Thursday,
prayed the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel
the Federal Government to pay him the sum of
N100million as damages.
Ogwuche insisted that his continued detention in
the custody of the Department of State Security,
DSS, amounted to a gross abuse of his fundamental
human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
He contended that the Federal Government, having
breached his constitutional rights, ought to be
compelled by the court to pay damages to him.
Besides, he prayed the court to order his
immediate release from detention pending
whenever the government is ready to conduct his
trial.
Ogwuche made the application through his lawyer
Mr. Ahmed Raji, SAN.
He relied on Order 2, Rule (1),(2),(3) of the
Fundamental Enforcement Procedure Rule and
Sections 34,35,36,37 and 42 of the 1999
Constitution to seek for an enforcement of his
fundamental human right.
Though he initially cited the DSS and the Attorney
General of the Federation, AGF as respondents in
the suit, he however applied for the court to strike
out the name of the AGF, an application that was
accordingly granted.
Alleging that he was illegally arrested, Ogwuche,
through his lawyer Raji, SAN, argued that it was
based on the request of the Federal Government
that the Interpol placed a red alert on him
consequent upon which he was apprehended in
Sudan and extradited to Nigeria.
Raji further drew the attention of the court to the
fact that the charge upon which Ogwuche was
arrested and detained had been struck out for lack
of diligent prosecution.
He added that the charge was the foundation of the
extradition order which led to the arrest of the
applicant.
Raji insisted that FG ought to have concluded its
investigations before requesting for the extradition
order.
He argued that it was illegal for the DSS to still
retain the accused person in its custody without
arranging him over the commission of any act of
criminality.
Beside arguing that the ex parte order gotten by
the DSS to detain the applicant for 90 days was a
miscarriage of justice, Raji, stressed that section 27
of the Terrorism Prevention Act could not override
the provisions Section 35 of the Constitution which
he said preserved the right to liberty of every
citizen.
He therefore prayed the court to compel the DSS to
release Ogwuche conditionally or unconditionally,
admit him to administrative bail or arraign him
within 48 hours.
Meantime, trial Justice Ademola Adeniyi has fixed
today to hear the response of counsel to the DSS
Mr. Clifford Osagie to the application.
It will be recalled that the court earlier struck out a
three-count charge that was filed against Ogwuche
by the Police for want of diligent prosecution.
The case was terminated following bickering
between the Police and the DSS over which of them
should conduct the trial.
Though the DSS insisted that the initial charge by
the police was only meant to expedite the process
that led to the successful extradition of the accused
to Nigeria, however, since then, it is yet to file any
charge against him.
Ogwuche was in the charge that was struck out,
alleged to have conspired with others (at large), to
commit an act of terrorism by detonating
improvised explosive devices at Nyanya Motor Park,
which resulted in the death of 75 persons and
injuring over a hundred other persons.
Count two of the charge reads, “That you, Aminu
Sadiq Ogwuche, Male, and others now at large, on
the 14th of April, 2014 at Nyanya, FCT, Abuja, within
the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did
facilitate the activities of persons engaged in an act
of terrorism; by detonating improvised explosive
devices at the Nyanya motor park which resulted in
the death of 75 persons and injuring over a
hundred other persons.”
The alleged offences were said to be punishable
under sections 1 (2) (d) and 17 of the Terrorism
Prevention Amendment Act of 2013.
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/nyanya-bombing-suspect-ogwuche-asks-fg-pay-n100m/

Na wa oooo. Wetin we no go see for dis naija

Should one expect anything less?
I think not.
Even if they had a legitimate reason to detain him, Nigerian law enforcement agencies have the penchant to go too far in their over-zealous interrogation.

Insult upon injury!!

#Stark indicators of a failed government.

Boko haram thrives on the laxity of our government.

Who is this useless lawyer sef, raji watch out for me am gonna take that SAN from you

Hope am not dreaming ,after the waste of 75. Humans lives this basterd is talking about human right since the govt cannot punish you the innocent lives will visit you and you lawyer

person wey dey for dom kill