Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has petitioned Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) over the continued detention of leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife.
In the petition issued yesterday, Falana warned that if the request to free Zakzaky is not granted forthwith he will pray the Court of Appeal to refuse to entertain the appeal filed by the Federal Government over the judgement by a Federal High Court in Abuja “until the Federal Government has purged itself of the contempt of the Federal High Court.”
Justice Gabriel Kolawole had on December 2, 2016 ordered the release of Zakzaky and his wife from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), where they are being held since December 2015 following confrontation between IMN members and the military which led to the death of scores of people.
The judge also directed the payment of N50 million in damages to the couple and the provision of new accommodation for their household within 45 days in Kaduna State or any other part of Northern Nigeria.
Falana said none of the terms of the court order has been fulfilled since January 16 when the deadline expired; adding that the appeal filed before the Appeal Court over the judgement has not varied or suspended the orders of the learned trial judge.
“In view of the avowed commitment of the Buhari administration to operate under the rule of law we urge you to use your good offices to ensure that our clients are released from illegal incarceration without any further delay,” Falana wrote in the letter.