Keyamo Writes SSS ,Police : Stop Harassing Maigari ,Other NFF Topguns

By Danlami Nmodu
Prominent Lagos lawyer and human rights activist ,Barrister Festus Keyamo has written to the State Security Service,SSS and the Police urging them to stop further harassment of Alhaji Aminu Maigari, Barrister Christoher Green, Barrister Musa Amadu And Alhaji Shehu Dikko.Those named by Keyamo are all topguns in lingering crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation,NFF.
Keyamo made the call in a letter addressed to the Director General ,SSS and Inspector General of Police titled:”Incessant Invitations And Unlawful Detention Of Alhaji Aminu Maigari, Barrister Christoher Green, Barrister Musa Amadu And Alhaji Shehu Dikko”
The letter said “Our client informed us that upon their arrival from the FIFA World Cup Competition in Brazil on 4th July, 2014, they were arrested by your men and operatives and detained at the SSS headquarters. Our clients further briefed us that subsequently, they 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.
He informed the SSS and the IGP that “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. Find attached the court processes.
“We are by this letter giving you notice of the pendency of this suit and respectfully urging you to desist from carrying out any action that will undermine the authority and jurisdictionof the court which is now seized of this matter. Please find attached a copy of the originating processes in this suit”,Keyamo said,adding ,“We hope you realise that any action on your part in form of continuous invitations, harassments, arrests and detentions will undermine the authority of the court in this regard.
“We understand that these various harassments are designed to scuttle the Nigerian Football Federation Congress slated for the 30th of September, 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”,the letter said.
A copy of the suit filed by Keyamo on behalf of Maigari and Others seeks the following reliefs : “A DECLARATION that the arrest of the Applicants on the 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th of July, 2014, 26th August, 2014 and 24th & 25th September, 2014 by the Respondents, their privies, agents, officers and representatives, is illegal, unlawful, null and void and 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 (As amended).
“A DECLARATION that the detention of the Applicants on the 24th & 25th September, 2014 by the Respondents, their privies, agents, officers and representatives, is illegal, unlawful, null and void and 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 (As amended).
“A DECLARATION that the arrest and detention of the 1st and 2nd Applicants by the Respondents, from 26th August, 2014 till 27th August, 2014 is illegal, unlawful, null and void and 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 (As amended).
“A DECLARATION that the threat to arrest and detain the Applicants by the Respondents, is illegal, unlawful, null and void and 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 (As amended).
“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Respondents, their privies, agents, officers or representatives from further arresting, harassing and/or detaining the Applicants based on the facts leading up to this application.
“AN ORDER of this Honourable Court directing the Respondents to pay general and aggravated damages to the Applicants for their illegal arrest and detention.
“AN ORDER of this Honourable Court directing the Respondents to tender a formal apology to the Applicants which is to be published in two national daily newspapers.
“SUCH FURTHER ORDER(S) as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this case.