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Court orders detention of Nigerian linked to ISIS for 60 days

A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has ordered the detention of a Nigerian, Emmanuel Osase, accused of having a link with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) for 60 days.

The trial judge, Inyang Ekwo, gave the order following a motion ex-parte filed by the State Security Service (SSS).

At the hearing of the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/409/2024 on Wednesday, April 3, counsel to the applicant, A. A Ugee told the court that the matter was brought pursuant to Section 66(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.


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Ugee asked the court to grant the applicant permission to hold the respondent in custody for 60 days while the inquiry was being conducted.

Vacation judge Ekwo approved the service’s prayer.

“Upon studying the averments in the affidavit, I hereby grant the relief as prayed,” Ekwo said.

The judge thereafter adjourned the matter till June 3.

Osase was detained on March 11 and charged with spreading the terrorist organisation’s propaganda, opposing Nigeria’s democratic government, and inciting terrorist actions against Nigeria and its national symbols.

The SSS requested an order to detain him for 60 days in an affidavit dated March 27, 2024, which was deposed to by Ahmed Abubakar, an official of the Service attached to the Legal Service Department.

The SSS further stated that the suspect’s release could compromise the investigation.

“That the respondent was arrested by a team of personnel from the applicant’s office for alleged membership and propagation of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist messages, including opposition to the democratic system of government and the call for staging terrorist attacks against Nigeria and its symbols of sovereignty,” Abubakar stated.

Abubakar said Osase was deported after serving out his five-year sentence in prison for offences related to terrorism in France.

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He noted that the accused was still engaged in terrorist operations based on the preliminary investigation conducted by the Service.

According to Abubakar, the respondent continued interacting with a banned internet media organisation, “al-Alawn Media Foundation.”

He posited that the “al-Alawn Media Foundation”‘s primary goals include the production and distribution of terrorist content as well as the encouragement of terrorist acts against democratic governments like Nigeria and the governments of the West, as well as their interests worldwide.




     

     

    According to the SSS representative, the respondent, who was born in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), left Nigeria for France and never returned to Nigeria until his deportation after completing a five-year jail term in France for acts of terrorism and attempts to join the Islamic State (IS) linked terrorist group, Friqat Al-Ghuraba (Group of Foreigners) in Syria.

    According to Abubakar, Osase formatted his phone after sighting SSS personnel.

    He said the respondent’s actions were an attack on Nigeria’s corporate survival and security.

    He pleaded with the court to allow the Service’s request, stressing that a thorough investigation of the respondent was necessary to ensure he did not threaten national security or international relations.

     

    Bankole Abe
    Reporter at ICIR | [email protected] | Author Page

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