From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that a member of the Arms Procurement Committee, Air Commodore Mohammed Umar, be released on bail in the sum of N100 million and a surety in the like sum.
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba had, in his ruling on a motion for the enforcement of the fundamental rights of Umar, frowned at what he described as “illegal detention” of the Air chief. The surety must have property in the Federal Capital Territory and evidence of tax payment for three years.
Justice Dimgba granted the order after a motion marked FHC/ABJ/CR/145/2016 dated July 22, was moved by his counsel, Usman Liman (SAN), praying the court to order his release since he had been in the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) for more than the period required in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
Last week, there was anxiety over his state of health by family members. Air Commodore Umar has been in the custody of the DSS for over a month without being charged to court for prosecution despite a court order ordering his release.