A Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja has ordered the detention of a Nigerian accused of being a member of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Emmanuel Osase, for 60 days.
The trial decide, Inyang Ekwo, gave the order following a movement ex-parte filed by the Division of State Servicesmarked FHC/ABJ/CS/409/2024.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, the applicant’s counsel, A. A Ugee, instructed the courtroom that the matter was introduced pursuant to Part 66(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
He prayed the courtroom for an order enabling the applicant to detain the respondent for 60 days pending the conclusion of the investigation.
Ruling, Justice Ekwo, a trip decide, granted the prayer of the service.
He mentioned, “Upon learning the averments within the affidavit, I hereby grant the reduction as prayed. ”
Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter until June 3, 2024.
Osase, who was arrested on March 11, was accused of propagating the messages of the terrorist group, opposing the democratic system of presidency in Nigeria, and calling for terrorist assaults on Nigeria and its symbols of sovereignty.
In an affidavit dated March 27, 2024, and deposed to by Ahmed Abubakar, an official of the Division of State Providers hooked up to the Authorized Service Division, Nationwide Headquarters, Abuja, the service sought an order to detain the suspect (Osase Emmanuel) for 60 days, including that the suspect’s launch may jeopardise the investigation.
He mentioned, “It’s crucial for the applicant within the case to use to this courtroom for an order to detain the applicant for 60 days, pending the conclusion of an ongoing investigation in a case of terrorism;
“That the respondent was arrested by a workforce of personnel from the applicant’s workplace for alleged membership and propagation of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist messages, together with opposition to the democratic system of presidency and the decision for staging terrorist assaults in opposition to Nigeria and its symbols of sovereignty.”
Abubakar said that Osase was jailed for 5 years for terrorism-related offences in France and was deported after the completion of his sentence.
He famous that from the service’s preliminary investigation, Osase was nonetheless concerned in terrorist actions.
Abubakar mentioned the respondent nonetheless engaged with a proscribed pro-ISIS on-line media group often known as “al-Alawn Media Basis.
“That preliminary investigation revealed that the respondent, who’s an ex-convict, nonetheless engages in terrorist actions which beforehand led to his conviction in France;
“That the respondent appeared to not have renounced his terrorist ideologies, as he continues to have interaction with the proscribed pro-ISIS on-line media group often known as “al-Alawn Media Basis” whose predominant aims is the creation and dissemination of terrorist content material and the promotion of terrorist assaults in opposition to Democratic Techniques of Authorities equivalent to Nigeria and the Western Governments together with their pursuits throughout the globe;
“That the respondent who was born within the Federal Capital Territory left Nigeria for France and by no means returned to Nigeria till his deportation after completion of a five-year jail time period in France for acts of terrorism and try to affix the Islamic State (IS) linked terrorist group, Friqat Al-Ghuraba (Group of Foreigners) in Syria.”
Abubakar said that the respondent, upon sighting operatives of the service, formatted his cellphone.
He mentioned, “The respondent, on the level of arrest, formatted his cell gadget to manufacturing unit settings upon sighting safety brokers ostensibly to wipe out any suspicious contents on the gadget and canopy up his nefarious actions;
“That the actions of the respondent represent a potent risk to nationwide safety and company existence of Nigeria;”
He, nonetheless, urged the courtroom to grant the request of the service, including that there was a have to painstakingly probe the respondent to make sure he doesn’t represent a safety deal with to the nation and world at giant.
“That the discharge of the respondent presently would jeopardise the investigation, because the investigation has assumed a wider dimension;
“That there’s a want for a radical investigation of the suspect to make sure that he doesn’t pose any safety risk to Nigeria or the world at giant;
“That the respondent helps with important data that may result in the arrest of different members who’re nonetheless at giant,” Abubakar said.
