One Muhammad Ndaman aka Baba-Abuja of the Muslims Youth Preachers Alliance of Nigeria, has appealed to Gov. Muhammad Umar Bago of Niger State over his 11 months unlawful detention.
He alleged that he was detained by His Lordship, Uma Katume Mohammed, Chief Magistrate 1 Minna. under circumstances that did not meet the legal requirements of the Law.
This is contained in an open letter he wrote to Gov. Bago and made available to newsmen in Niger State.
The statement said ” I write as the National President Youth Preachers Alliance for Bago 2023, a devoted coalition of young Islamic preachers passionately committed to the spiritual upliftment and socio-political advancement of our dear State and Nation.
“Our Alliance was established to support the vision of the current administration and to contribute meaningfully through peace advocacy, unity campaigns, voter education, and civic engagement.
“We were among the major mobilizers and advocates devoted to peace and success of this administration during the last general elections, a bold move that helped change the public mindset and contributed significantly to the overwhelming victory both at the state and national levels” he said.
He also disclosed that the organization organized seminar on the significance of Islamiyya Teachers in Politics.
“Your Excellency if you may recall, we were the same organization that organized a day seminar across the 4 Emirate Councils in the State with the theme THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ISLAMIYYA TEACHER’S IN OUR POLITICS.
“I personally write on behalf of myself and refer you to my letter dated 3rd October 2024, Ref. YPA/NGO/003/VOL.1 on the topic “MY ELEVEN MONTHS UNLAWFUL DETENTION”
“I hope my letter finds you well. I wish to bring to your attention a matter of great personal significance and concern regarding my recent detention, which I believe was conducted unlawfully on the 23rd October, 2023.
“I was detained by His Lordship Uma Katume Mohammed Chief Magistrate 1 Minna. Under some circumstances that did not meet the legal requirements of the Law.
“The reasons advanced for my detention was: I stood as a surety for a criminal to enable him abscond trial, yet I maintained that this claims were unfounded and lacks substance.
“This detention has been challenged by me in the Niger State High Court of Justice and has been declared illegal by the High Court and an infringement of my constitutional right” he said.
According to him, a copy of the judgement of the High Court declaring the detention illegal, far from all the rumours and information that might have been speculating around was attached to the letter.
“Following the unlawful detention and in a bid to enforce my fundamental right, I sued the Commissioner of Police and 3 others in the Federal High Court Minna, in SUIT NO. FHC/MN/CS/66/2024 wherein the Court ordered as follows:
“1-DECLARATION is hereby made that the misconduct and careless acts of 2nd and 3rd Respondents leading to the arrest, detention, conviction and sentence of Applicant by the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Minna, were unjustified, illegal and unconstitutional a violation of the Applicants Fundamental Rights to Personal Liberty and Freedom of Movement as enshrined in Section 35(1) and 41(1)of the 1999 Construction (as amended) and Article 4, and 6 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
“2-AN ORDER is hereby made directing the Respondents, jointly and severally, to Pay to the Applicant the sum of TEN MILLION NAIRA (10,000,000, 00) as damages for the unlawful arrest, detention, conviction and imprisonment of the Applicant.
“3-AN ORDER is hereby made directing the Respondents to publish, within (30) days from the date of this judgement a letter of public apology to the Applicant in a national daily newspaper of wide circulation in Nigeria.
“4-AN ORDER is hereby made directing the Respondents to jointly and severally Pay to the Applicant the sum of ONE MILLION NAIRA (1,000,000,00) as costs of this litigation” he said.
He said that the judgement was delivered by HON. JUSTICE ABDULLAH M. DAN-IGE.
“This is the judgement as delivered by HON. JUSTICE ABDULLAH M. DAN-IGE. I need justice and enforcement of this judgement your Excellency,” he appealed.