Court orders release of Sheikh Sani Zaria, awards N6m against security agencies, bank

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate and unconditional release of Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria, while also declaring the restriction placed on his bank account illegal and awarding him N4 million in damages.

The cleric was arrested late last year after he travelled to Abuja to address issues surrounding the freezing of his bank account, linked to an alleged N2 million transaction under investigation in connection with a suspected coup plot.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu on Monday, the court held that the applicant’s fundamental rights had been violated, citing breaches of Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The suit was filed by Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria through his lawyer Sunusi Musa, SAN against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC; the Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA; the Attorney-General of the Federation, Jaiz Bank Plc and the State Security Service, SSS.

In the order, the court directed the 5th defendant to release the applicant forthwith, and also ordered Jaiz Bank to lift the restriction placed on the applicant’s bank account number 0005620270 without delay.

The court further held that the action of the EFCC and the bank in restricting the account without a court order was unlawful and amounted to a breach of the applicant’s fundamental rights.

It consequently awarded N1 million each against the relevant respondents and a total of N4 million in damages jointly and severally against the 2nd and 5th respondents in favour of the applicant.

The court also ordered the 2nd and 5th respondents to publish a written apology to Sheikh Abdulkadir Zaria for the violation of his rights, in line with the Constitution.