A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna yesterday denied the bail application of the suspected gunrunner, former National Treasurer of Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association, Alhaji Nuhu Marafa, and his son, Musa.
The court said the application would not be entertained as a motion on notice asking for the enforcement of the applicant’s fundamental human right was yet to be heard.
Marafa, 54, and his son, Musa, are being held by officers and men of 1 Division, Nigerian Army, who arrested him on January 14, this year, in Kaduna for alleged gunrunning and sponsoring of a terrorist group, Boko Haram.
The Army had paraded the suspect and his son Musa on January 16, while his second son, Yusuf, now at large, was declared wanted for alleged illegal possession of arm.
Counsel to the applicant, Bello Ibrahim of Bello Ibrahim & Co. Legal Consult, Zaria, Kaduna, had approached the court with a motion seeking Marafa’s release, arguing that the continued detention of his client was illegal as it violated Marafa’s human rights.
The motion has the Nigerian Army, Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army, General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna and the Attorney General of the Federation as first, second, third and fourth respondents respectively. Ibrahim also sought an order to enforce his client’s right to human dignity of person and personal liberty as well as that of privacy which had been violated GOC 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna.