On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted an interim order to the State Security Service (SSS) to detain Emmanuel Osase, a Nigerian accused of being affiliated with ISIS, for a period of 60 days.
The ruling was issued by Judge Inyang Ekwo following an ex-parte motion filed by the SSS counsel, A.A. Ugee, who brought the application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/409/2024 pursuant to Section 66(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Mr. Ugee requested the court to allow the security agency to hold Mr. Osase for 60 days while investigations are ongoing, a request that was granted by Mr. Ekwo who then scheduled the next hearing for 3 June, marking the end of the detention period.
According to Mr. Abubakar, Mr. Osase, who had previously been imprisoned for terrorism-related offenses in France, was deported after serving a five-year sentence.
However, Mr. Abubakar stated that Mr. Osase, an ex-convict, was still involved in terrorist activities, as evidenced by his association with the proscribed pro-ISIS online media group called al-Alawn Media Foundation.
This group is known for creating and disseminating terrorist content and promoting attacks against democratic systems of government, including Nigeria and Western governments worldwide. Mr. Osase, who was born in the Federal Capital Territory, left Nigeria for France and only returned after being deported following his conviction for attempting to join the Islamic State-linked terrorist group, Friqat Al-Ghuraba, in Syria.
Mr. Abubakar emphasized that Mr. Osase’s actions posed a significant threat to Nigeria’s national security and existence.
Therefore, a thorough investigation is necessary to ensure that he does not pose a security risk to Nigeria or the international community.
Mr. Abubakar also mentioned that the respondent is providing valuable information that could lead to the arrest of other members who are still at large. Granting the application would serve the interests of justice and national security.
