Justice Inyang Ekwo from the Federal High Court in Abuja has decreed a 60-day detention for Emmanuel Osase, a Nigerian allegedly linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Justice Ekwo’s directive stemmed from a motion ex-parte submitted by the Department of State Services (DSS), prompting the order.
The DSS attorney disclosed to the court during Wednesday’s proceedings that the matter was brought forth citing section 66(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
He petitioned the court for an order granting the service authority to detain the respondent for 60 days while the investigation reaches its conclusion.Justice Ekwo, acting as a vacation judge, approved the service’s plea in his ruling.
He subsequently adjourned the matter till June 3, 2024.
Osase, apprehended on March 11, faced accusations of disseminating the ideologies of the terrorist organization, opposing Nigeria’s democratic governance, and advocating for terrorist assaults on Nigeria and its symbols of authority.
According to the DSS, Osase had served a five-year prison term in France for offenses related to terrorism and was subsequently deported upon the fulfillment of his sentence.
According to the Service, its preliminary inquiry indicated that Osase was still actively participating in terrorist activities.
In a March 27, 2024 affidavit, Ahmad Abubakar of the DSS Legal Service Department, Abuja, said the suspect needed to be detained because his release would jeopardise the DSS investigation.
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Abubakar stated that Osase was jailed for five years for terrorism-related offences in France and was deported after the completion of his sentence.
Abubakar added, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the respondent, who is an ex-convict, still engages in terrorist activities which previously led to his conviction in France.
“The respondent appears not to have renounced his terrorist ideologies, as he continues to engage with the proscribed pro-ISIS online media group known as ‘al-Alawn Media Foundation,’ whose main objective is the creation and dissemination of terrorist content and the promotion of terrorist attacks against the democratic systems of Nigeria and the Western governments, including their interests across the globe.
“The respondent, who was born in the Federal Capital Territory, left Nigeria for France and never returned to Nigeria until his deportation after completion of a five-year jail term in France for acts of terrorism and attempt to join the Islamic State (IS) linked terrorist group, Friqat Al-Ghuraba (group of foreigners) in Syria.
“The respondent at the point of arrest, formatted his mobile device to factory settings upon sighting security agents ostensibly to wipe out any suspicious contents on the device and cover up his nefarious activities.
“The activities of the respondent constitute a potent threat to national security and corporate existence of Nigeria.
“The release of the respondent at this time would jeopardise the investigation, as investigation has assumed a wider dimension.
“There is a need for a thorough investigation of the suspect to ensure that he does not pose any security threat to Nigeria or the world at large
He finally mentioned that the respondent is assisting by providing crucial details that could facilitate the apprehension of remaining members who are currently evading capture.