How Nnamdi Kanu is helping us secure the release of our brothers held by DSS over 4 years – Families of detained inmates (photos, videos)
- Abubakar Suleiman has decried the prolonged detention of four of his brothers by the Department of State Services (DSS)
- Suleiman said his brother were 'kidnapped' by operatives of the DSS in Nasarawa state over four years ago
- He also said the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra Nnamdi Kanu is currently making efforts to secure the release of his brothers
Abubakar Suleiman has decried the prolonged detention of four of his brothers by the Department of State Services (DSS)
Abubakar Suleiman has decried the prolonged detention of four of his brothers by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Suleiman who spoke to NAIJ.com in an interview said his brothers - Umar Muktar, 30; Haruna Sidi Agba, 43; Ahmad Kallamu, 25; Abdullah Ahmad, 39 were taken away by the DSS on July 4, 2013.
He said, Nnamdi Kanu the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra recently contacted his family over the prolonged detention of his brothers.
Suleiman said Muktar, popularly referred to as Lagos boy is a cattle businessman living in Lafia, Nasarawa state before his arrest.
“He was kidnapped and abducted and taken away in Hilux and a jeep car with sniper guns,” Suleiman said.
Abubakar Suleiman has decried the prolonged detention of four of his brothers by the Department of State Services
He said Muktar is married to two wives and has five children while Agba, popularly known as Garkuwan Bukan Kwato is also a businessman with two wives and six children.
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“He was removed from his car driving along Awe town in Nasarawa state,” he said.
He added that Kallamu, a 300 level student of the Nasarawa state college of Education, Akwanga was taken away within the college premises, while Ahmad, popularly known as kudi banza-banza is married to three wives and eight children.
Suleiman said his brother were 'kidnapped' by operatives of the DSS in Nasarawa state over four years ago
Suleiman had earlier told NAIJ.com on Monday, March 20, that he had approached the Federal High Court to seek the release of his brother held by the DSS.
He said it was painful that since their arrest, the secret police is hyet to charge them to court despite several attempt by their counsel to gain access to them at the DSS facility where they are being held.
“I filed the case in the FCT High Court but the court said they have no jurisdiction to hear the matter. That is why we came here to re-file in the Federal High Court because they are denying that these people are not with them,” Suleiman said.
“But their inmates that lived with them in that DSS custody came, almost five of them or more than that came and informed us that our brothers are there with them.
He also said the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra Nnamdi Kanu is currently making efforts to secure the release of his brothers
“Kanu stayed with my younger brothers in DSS office,” he said.
Speaking further, Suleiman said, counsel to his brothers have made several attempts to inquire from the secret police their whereabouts, the offence committed and when they will be charged to court but to no avail.
He said the counsels have met always met a dead end as the secret police on those occasions denied that individuals are being held by the agency.
He also said that despite DSS’ denial, former inmates who have met their brother at the facilities headquarters in Abuja, are ready to stand as witnesses on the matter.
“If to say they took them to court, that means there must be charges against them,” Suleiman added.
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He noted that although is not a lawyer by profession, he understands that when arrested, an institution has only two days to arraign a suspect before a court of competent jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, on the same note, Abdulkadir Yahaya told journalist at the Federal High Court that three of his sons were also being held by the DSS.
He said that for some time, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra Nnamdi Kanu had made efforts to help his family secure the release of his sons.
He said Nnamdi Kanu the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra recently contacted his family over the prolonged detention of his brothers.
The Yahaya said: “So, Kanu wants to prove to the whole world that they are all held in there.”
My son is also there, nobody knows the offence they committed. They (DSS) just came in as if they are kidnappers and took them since 2012,” he said.
Meanwhile, speaking to NAIJ.com on the issue, a sister to Nnamdi Kanu said her brother has been keen on facilitating the release of the boys who have been in detention since 2012.
Princess Kanu to NAIJ.com that her brother has gone as far as getting a lawyer for the men.
She said Kanu has also offered to foot the legal fees of the detained individuals.
On how Kanu met with the boys, Princess said: “They met while they were in detention at the DSS."
In fact, he arranged for their lawyers and made initial payments for their papers to be filed in court.
One of their lawyers came from Kano to see him in court and has visited him several times in Kuje to discuss their cases.
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She said: “From what he told me, the boy Usman Abubakar is from Bida, he helped my brother with his laundry and some minor chores while he was with the DSS.”
"He said wanted to study Mass Communication but was abducted by DSS in the middle of night, the parents thought he was dead until my brother asked somebody from Abuja to travel to Bida to inquire about his family.
“Another inmate was Muktar Umar from Lafia Nassarawa State detained for over over years without trial.
“My brother sent a lawyer to contact his family in Lafia Nassarawa state because they thought he was dead; he also paid for the families to come to Abuja, lodged them in hotels and paid for their lawyers,” she said.
Meanwhile, after his last court sitting, Kanu who spoke at the entrance of the Federal High Court in Abuja, said he invited the families of the detained individuals to meet with him in court due to the difficulty to gain access to him in Kuje Prison.
He also said he took up their matter solely because he detests injustice.
"These people; there children are in DSS custody; they’ve been there for five years without trial. That’s what they do in this country.
"This is very terrible. Over 200 people locked down there without trial and this is not justice in any way or form.
“What makes you human is your ability to reason. Here, people don’t reason. That is why they are detained
“Their children have been there for a very long time. Usman Abubakar is in detention. Mukhtar Umar is in detention, and DSS don’t want to bring them to court.
Ibrahim Yahya is there. I was with them. For five years, they are still in detention.”
Watch video of the families and Nnamdi Kanu speak in court below: