ECOWAS Court says it has jurisdiction to hear Dasuki’s suit

The Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States has ruled that it has the jurisdiction to hear a suit filed by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, to challenge his alleged unlawful detention.
Dasuki was arrested by the operatives of the Department of Department of State Service on December 29, 2015, shortly after he was released on bail at the Kuje prison with respect to the various sets of charges pending against him.
The ex-‎NSA has since then remained in the custody of the DSS.
‎In a ruling by a three-man bench on Monday, the ECOWAS Court dismissed Federal Government’s objection to the hearing of Dasuki’s suit.
Justice FChijoke Nwoke, who presided and read the court’s ruling, held that the Nigeria’s Federal Government, represented by Tijani Ganzali, misunderstood the kernel of Dasuki’s case by arguing that it bordered on contempt of the orders previously made by the Nigerian courts.
The judge held that Dasuki’s case was mainly challenging the alleged breach of his fundamental human rights by agents of the Nigerian government.
He ruled, “In determining jurisdiction, the court is to look at the facts as stated by the plaintiff and the prayers he sought, not the defendant’s.