The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to release forthwith the erstwhile National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), in obedience to the decision of the ECOWAS Court.

The group says it is disappointing that over 24 hours after the ruling was delivered in very plain and simplified English Language, the Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alhaji Abubakar Malami (SAN) has embarked on mere semantic gymnastics, saying his office will need time to study the verdict.

In the statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA said it is shocking that rather than show remorse, apologise to Nigerians for the brazen display of authoritarianism by the secret police in this matter of the prolonged detention of a citizen of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation has added salt to injury by offering a tepid excuse for the persistent breach of the constitutional rights of citizen Sambo Dasuki.

The rights group wondered why the Justice Minister is wasting precious time searching fruitlessly for the exact interpretation of a decision rendered by ECOWAS Court of Human Rights in such a fashion that even elementary one pupil understood lucidly.

“Let the Justice Minister stop this naked dance of public shame and advise his principal to release without delay, this Nigerian citizen retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki from the unknown dungeon.

“Nigerians all over the world are shocked that since the last one and half years, this current government has decided to treat with disdain and disrespect the sanctity of decisions of competent courts of law hiding under some draconian and unconstitutionally vacuous explanations to treat with ignominy the verdicts obtained by the duo of Colonel Sambo Dasuki and Mr. Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from Nigerian courts granting them bails separately.”

The rights group also said that any act of disregard to the sanctity of the verdicts of competent courts of law “by the executive branch of the Nigerian government diminishes the worth and value of our constitutional democracy and makes Nigeria a banana republic and a laughing stock in the comity of nations.”

Besides, HURIWA advised President Buhari to respect the ECOWAS court bearing in mind the onerous task his sworn oath of office imposes on him as the head of the executive arm of government who must at all times comply totally with the tenets, principle and letters of the constitution or risk being impeached.

“We make haste to remind the Federal Attorney General and our dear President of the wise counsel by a one-time Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Dahiru Masdapher that the judiciary is the constitutional arm of government that is responsible for the determination of the rights of the citizen; amongst themselves and between them and the state.

“We demand the immediate and unconditional release of this Nigerian citizen by President Buhari in compliance with the verdict of the court of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS). We are by this media intervention giving the Nigerian government the next 48 hours to obey the binding decision of the ECOWAS court or we petition world leaders and the United Nations.”

The ECOWAS Court sitting in Abuja had on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of Col. Dasuki from detention.

In the judgment delivered by Justice Friday Chijioke Nwoke, the regional court also imposed a N15 million fine on the Federal Government as damages to Dasuki for depriving him of his freedom to liberty and ownership of property.

HURIWA recalled that the former NSA has been in the custody of the government since December 2015 and on many occasions the Department of State Services (DSS) failed to produce him before any Nigerian courts.

•Photo shows Sambo Dasuki.

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