Jang’s Lawyers Challenge His Continuous Detention by EFCC

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

The senator representing Plateau North senatorial district in the National Assembly, Jonah David Jang, has challenged his continuous detention for over 72 hours in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) “without charging him to court as illegal, unconstitutional, arbitrary and a gross violation of his personal liberty, guaranteed and protected by the constitution.

His team of lawyers has therefore obtained an order from the Federal High Court in Abuja directing the anti-graft agent to immediately and unconditionally release the senator from custody “having detained him for a period exceeding one day.”

Addressing journalists in Jos yesterday, David Peter Dusu, a member of the legal team, said Jang had also obtained an order directing the EFCC to pay the sum of N500 million and to offer the senator a public apology over his detention, “and the order has been served on the anti-graft agent.”

Also, raising the alarm on the senator’s continuous incarceration, his media consultant, Mr. Clinton Garuba. said: “Our worry is that beyond the charges, we are beginning to see some lawlessness, and political intimidation.
“We therefore call on well-meaning Nigerians to mount political pressure on the anti-graft agent to do the needful, especially as the Senator will need to be given access to his medication and good food.”

Meanwhile, the Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also raised the alarm over Jang’s continuous detention, describing it as a ploy by the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) to clamp down on the opposition.
Also addressing journalists in Jos, the state Chairman of the PDP, Chief Damishi Sango, said: “While the appropriate agencies of government are at liberty to do their statutory and constitutional mandates, due diligence, respect for due process and the rule of law must be followed.

“That a sitting senator and an elder statesman who is in the custody of the EFCC has been denied bail for more than 48 hours in detention is a gross violation of his fundamental human rights as provided for under the constitution of the federal republic.”

While appealing to the people of the state for calm, Sango called on the authorities of the EFCC to “as a matter of urgency grant the senator a bail. We are mindful of his health condition and the fact that he has been denied access to family and medication.”

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