A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Defence Intelligence Agency to produce before it an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria, who is accused of plotting a coup against President Bola Tinubu’s government.
Justice Peter Lifu gave the order on Friday, directing that the cleric be presented in court on February 18 or that the agency show the legal authority for his continued detention.
The judge stressed that all authorities are subordinate to civil rule, noting that Nigeria operates under a democratic system. He held that the provisions of Section 36(1), (5), and (6) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantee fair hearing and fundamental rights to all citizens.
Justice Lifu further observed that Nigeria, as a signatory to several international human rights conventions, could not afford to fall short in upholding such obligations.
The order followed a fundamental rights enforcement application filed by the cleric’s lawyers—Sunusi Musa (SAN), Abdul Aliyu (SAN), and Mohammed Sheriff—against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the DIA, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and Jaiz Bank Plc, seeking his release from detention.
During proceedings on Thursday, counsel to the DIA, I.O. Odom, whose position was adopted by EFCC counsel M.C. Odimbaiwe, informed the court that the applicant was being held on behalf of Defence Headquarters. He added that the agency’s provost marshal had indicated that the chairman of the Special Investigation Panel was out of the country.
After hours of waiting, the court fixed the matter for ruling and directed the DIA to either produce the cleric or justify the legal basis for his detention.
Family sources linked the cleric’s detention to a N2 million gift allegedly wired into the bank account of a detained leader of the Fityanul Islam Tijanniyya sect by one of his followers, who was reportedly indicted in the recent coup allegations.
The court also noted that since December 11, 2025, the cleric had been kept in what authorities described as “safe custody” without access to his family or associates, following the opening of an investigation against him on security grounds.
