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By Kayode Igundiran
The Headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS), Abuja, has been barricaded by a group of protesters calling for the resignation of the Comptroller General, Haliru Nababa and immediate release from Kuje Prison, the illegally detained former Group Managing Director and Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Maj. Gen. Umaru Muazu Mohammed.
The protest placards held by the protesters read, “We Say No To Illegal Detention, How Much Were You Paid To Detain Major General Mohammed Illegally, Show Us A Valid Detention Warrant On Gen. Mohammed, CG Haliru Nababa Must Go, CG Nababa Must Go To Jail To Feel The Pain Of Illegal Detention, Produce A Valid Detention Warrant Or Release Maj. Gen. Mohammed To Us, Release Major General Mohammed Or Produce A Valid Judicial Detention Warrant.”
The protesters under the auspices of George Uboh Whistle-Blowers Network (GUWN) gave the Comptroller General, Haliru Nababa a three days ultimatum to release the victim or face further legislative and judicial actions.
Speaking to newsmen during the protest, on behalf of the George Uboh Whistle-Blowers Network (GUWN), Mr Mohammed Abdulazeez, stated that on or about May 2, 2024, Major General Umaru Mohammed (N/8656) was taken to Kuje Prison without a warrant.
According to him, “about a week later, the Nigerian Army brought a backdated letter of committal of same Major General Mohammed signed by Major General OJ Akpor, for Chief of Army Staff (COAS) as reported by Sahara Reporters on June 4, 2024.”
He said, “It is on record that the Nigerian Correctional Service has not rebutted or reacted to this report thus we are inclined to accepting the report as true. To Mr. Controller-General, the serial violations herein are clear and unambiguous.”
“Any democracy stands on a tripod, to wit, executive, legislative and judiciary branches. Each branch is a co-equal partner, and no leg shall stand or deputize for another leg. In this case, only the judiciary has been vested with the power to sign a warrant to commit anyone in prison. Even the president in any democratic dispensation cannot sign a warrant to commit someone in prison.”
“Accordingly, the COAS cannot sign any document that will suffice as a judicial warrant: more insulting is the fact that Major General Mohammed was detained without a warrant for one week. Is the COAS so powerful that Kuje prison accepted Mohammed based on anticipation of a warrant from COAS who is not empowered to issue a warrant?”
“Please be advised that assuming in the unlikely event that the letter suffices as a valid judicial warrant, the letter does not retroactively cure the one week of detention of Maj. Gen. Mohammed before the letter arrived.”
The group gave a three days ultimatum to the CG, failure to which may attract further civil actions.
“Given the fact that you did not respond to the news reports, you are hereby given three days to release Major General Mohammed from Kuje Prison. If you do not, we, the public who reposed the trust in you, shall demand a public hearing at the national assembly; and shall also proceed to court for a writ of mandamus compelling you to act-perform your official duty to release Major General Mohammed; and any other relief we deem fit and necessary.” The group stated.
