In Nigeria, Court orders SSS to allow doctors access ex-director detained for alleged closeness to Magu

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, ordered the State Security Service, SSS, to allow its former director, Abba Mohammed, access to his physician, family members and counsel.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr. Mohammed was arrested and is being detained without trial for over 50 days due to his alleged closeness to Ibrahim Magu, the chairman of the anti-graft agency, EFCC.

Despite heading two major security institutions of the state, Mr. Magu and the Director General of the SSS, Lawal Daura, are involved in some cold war that analysts believe go beyond their professional duties.

On Friday, Justice B.O. Quadri directed that the detainee should be allowed to have his “special diet’’ since he was diabetic.

The judge gave the order following a fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed against the Director-General of SSS and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

Mr. Mohammed’s counsel, Samuel Ogala, had told the court that his client was critically ill and in need of his medication and access to his personal physician.

In the application, Mr. Ogala also prayed the court to order the SSS to release his client or charge him to court.

The application could, however, not be heard as counsel to the SSS, Michael Ubi, had asked for time to respond to some of the processes served on him by the applicant’s counsel in court.

He told the court that Mr. Mohammed was being detained on orders of Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court.

According to him, the order is still subsisting.

Consequently, Mr. Ogala made an oral application for the court to allow his client access to his medication, doctors, lawyers and family members.

Justice Quadri granted the application since it was not opposed by Mr. Ubi.

The judge transferred the case to the central registry for re-assignment as the court’s vacation ended on Friday.

The former director was arrested by SSS operatives on July 17 and has been held in its custody.

– Premium Times