The Economic Community of West African States Court of Justice sitting in Wuse, Abuja is affirming its jurisdiction to hear a case filed by the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki against the Federal Government. Dasuki is filing a fundamental rights enforcement suit before the court challenging his continued detention without trial since December 2015 by the Federal Government.
In a ruling, the Chairman of the ECOWAS court, Justice Friday Nwoke dismissed the objection of the Nigerian government which is contending that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the suit. The former NSA, Sambo Dasuki and the Nigerian government have been engaged in a legal battle over an alleged mismanagement of arms funds.
Dasuki was re-arrested by the operatives of the Department of the State Security Service (DSS) shortly after perfecting the third bail granted him by the Nigerian Court. He is asking the ECOWAS Court to enforce his fundamental rights as enshrined in the African Carter on the people and human rights and the Nigerian Constitution.
Counsel to Federal Government, is arguing that the case against Dasuki is pending before Nigerian court and that the ECOWAS court lacks jurisdiction to intervene in the matter. Justice Nwoke however is ruling that the ECOWAS Court has jurisdiction since the case is on human right and it is not before any other international Court.
