Outgoing president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Aminu Maigari, and other top soccer officials have secured a court order against the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria police for “incessant invitation and unlawful detention”.
Through their lawyers, Festus Keyamo Chambers, Maigari, Chris Green, Musa Amadu, and Shehu Dikko filed a case at the federal high court Abuja, accusing the federal government organs of harassment.
The invitations to the SSS headquarters commenced upon the arrival of the Super Eagles and officials from the FIFA World Cup in Brazil on July 4, 2014.
Maigari and co were whisked from airport to the office of the SSS and it has been one invitation after another.
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Now, to nip it in the bud, the duo contacted the law chambers, who swiftly filed a case in court and released a statement addressed to the SSS and the police.
“Our clients have been receiving series of invitations from both the State Security Service and the Nigeria Police and that when they honour those invitations despite their busy schedules, they are detained for hours without any information as to the reason for their invitation,” it read.
“Owing to the foregoing and acting on our clients’ instructions, we have instituted an action in the federal high court in Abuja seeking declarative and injunctive reliefs for the enforcement of our clients’ fundamental rights.”
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The statement gave notice of the suit (NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/686/14) and urged the SSS and Nigeria Police “to desist from carrying out any action that will undermine the authority and jurisdiction of the court”.
The purpose of the harassment is not lost on Maigari at al, and it was reiterated in the statement.
“We understand that these various harassment are designed to scuttle the Nigerian Football Federation Congress slated for September 30, 2014 in Warri, Delta state, and your actions are at the behest of those who intend to scuttle the congress as they do not mean well for Nigerian football.
“Kindly note that if your actions precipitate a crises that bungles the congress, our clients shall not be held responsible for any fate that befalls our football from FIFA.”
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In the hearing, the judge declared the actions of the SSS and the police illegal, unlawful, null and void, saying it amounts to a gross violation of their fundamental rights as enshrined in Sections 34, 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
It directed the respondents (SSS and Nigeria Police) to pay general and aggravated damages to the applicants for their illegal arrest and detention as well as tender a formal apology to the Applicants which is to be published in two national daily newspapers.
Efforts to get the response of the security agencies proved abortive.
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