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ProfRem
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Justice Okon Abang of the federal high court, Abuja, has dismissed the suit of Olisa Metuh, spokesman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging his detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in January.
Metuh had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the EFCC challenging his detention by the commission on January 5. He asked the court to make a declaration that his arrest and detention by the EFCC without being charged to court violated his rights.
Also, he asked the court to issue an order restraining the EFCC from arresting and detaining him again.
But the EFCC in its argument stated that the PDP spokesman was held by an order of remand issued by a chief magistrate court.
In his judgement, Justice Abang held that the EFCC had the constitutional powers to arrest and to detain Metuh. He stated that Metuh’s detention, on the surface of it, appeared to be unlawful, but that he was held by an order of a court, hence he (the judge) would not make an pronouncement on that.
Abang suggested that Metuh should have approached the magistrate court for it to vacate its remand order.
The judge, thereafter, dismissed the suit for lacking in merit. He also awarded a cost of N15, 000 against Metuh.
Metuh had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the EFCC challenging his detention by the commission on January 5. He asked the court to make a declaration that his arrest and detention by the EFCC without being charged to court violated his rights.
Also, he asked the court to issue an order restraining the EFCC from arresting and detaining him again.
But the EFCC in its argument stated that the PDP spokesman was held by an order of remand issued by a chief magistrate court.
In his judgement, Justice Abang held that the EFCC had the constitutional powers to arrest and to detain Metuh. He stated that Metuh’s detention, on the surface of it, appeared to be unlawful, but that he was held by an order of a court, hence he (the judge) would not make an pronouncement on that.
Abang suggested that Metuh should have approached the magistrate court for it to vacate its remand order.
The judge, thereafter, dismissed the suit for lacking in merit. He also awarded a cost of N15, 000 against Metuh.
