A federal high court sitting in Abuja has ordered the
Nigerian Army to grant Martins Idakpini, a lance corporal, access to his wife,
lawyer and relatives.
Idakpini was arrested following a video in which he
criticised Tukur Buratai, the chief of army staff, over the approach taken with
regards to the battle against Boko Haram insurgency.
His wife, Victoria, was also arrested after she appeared in
a media interview to seek the release of her husband, but she was later
released.
According to Tope Akinyode, counsel to the army officer,
Idakpini has been refused access to his family members and lawyer since he was
arrested on June 23, 2020.
Akinyode noted that following an ex parte motion, Anwuli
Chikere, the judge, agreed that the refusal of the army to allow Idakipini
access to his lawyer and relatives was a continuous violation of his
fundamental human rights.
The court therefore mandated the army to immediately grant
the arrested officer access to his lawyer and family, and also prohibited the
military from further violating the soldier’s fundamental human rights in any
unlawful manner.
The matter has been adjourned till October 6 to determine
the substantive case on the release of the soldier.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Akinyode, counsel to Idakpini
and national president of Revolutionary Lawyers’ Forum, commended the court for
the ruling.
“Today’s ruling is a landmark progress in the fight to get
justice for Lance Corporal Martins and his wife. 23rd July will make it exactly
one month that the victimised soldier has been arrested without any opportunity
for him to reach his wife lawyer or any relative,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that the Army is lending itself to the
violation of citizens’ fundamental human rights. This must stop.
“We are resolved to drive the cased to a fruitful conclusion
and with the emerging information that we’ve obtained concerning Mrs Victoria
Idakpini, we shall be asking the court for a multi-million compensation for the
brutal violation of her fundamental human rights.”
The army has been in the news in recent times, owing to the
handling of the fight against insurgency.
Earlier in July, more than 300 soldiers had indicated their
interest to quit the army, citing “loss of interest”.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the senate had asked the service
chiefs to step aside.
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