A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to produce before it, on February 18, an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria, detained since December 2025 without a valid court order.
Justice Peter Lifu, while making the order, said all authorities are subordinated under the civil authority.
The judge held that the provisions of Section 36(1)(5) and (6) of the 1999 Constitution avail him and “for all citizens.”
He noted that Nigeria, being a signatory to different international conventions on human rights, it cannot afford to be held behind on such issues.
Following a fundamental rights enforcement application brought by Zaria’s lawyers Sunusi Musa (SAN), Abdul Aliyu (SAN) and Mohammed Sheriff against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the DIA, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and Jaiz Bank Plc seeking his release from detention, the court last Thursday directed the DIA to produce him or show the legal authority for his continued detention.
Counsel to the DIA, I. O. Odom, whose position was adopted by the EFCC’s counsel, M.C. Odimbaiwe, informed the court that the applicant was only being held on behalf of the Defence Headquarters, adding that the agency’s provost marshal informed him that the chairman of the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) had travelled out of the country.
Family sources linked the cleric’s ordeal to a N2 million gift wired to the bank account of the detained leader of the Fityanul Islam Tijanniyya sect by one of his adherents, who was indicted in the recent coup allegation.
The judge noted that since December 11, 2025, the applicant was kept in “safe custody” without access to family and associates after an investigation was opened about him, on grounds described as security reasons.
In this article