A lawyer, P.D. Pius, has filed an exparte motion seeking the unconditional release of a leader of a Taraba State youth cultural organisation who has been detained by the State Security Service for over four months without trial.

Ntari Danladi Hasssan, National President of the youth wing of the Mumuye Cultural Development Association, has been in the custody of SSS since May 6, 2021.

This has caused Mr Pius, the applicant’s lawyer, to file the suit at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

The Whistler reports that Mr Pius, told the court on Thursday that his client has been detained by the SSS for 126 days without preferring charges against him before the court. He therefore sought an order of the court for the release of Mr Hassan from unlawful detention of the SSS.

“An order of this honourable court directing the respondent to produce the applicant in court immediately and show cause why the applicant should not be released unconditionally having been arrested on or about 6th day of May 2021 and detained at the pleasure of the respondents without any complaint or charge preferred against the Applicant or any valid order of Court,” the lawyer said.

Mr Pius told the court that bail is a right of the applicant since SSS is yet to prefer charges against him.

“The Applicant who is presumed innocent is entitled to bail as a matter of course, having not been charged with any offence since his arrest on the 6th day of May 2021 in his office at the Mumuye House, Mile 6, Jalingo,Taraba State and his subsequent detention by the respondent officers till date,” Mr Pius argued.

The presiding Judge, Obiora Egwuatu, ordered that the casefile be returned to the court registry for reassignment as he is a vacation judge and court resumes on September 17.

He then ordered Mr Pius to serve SSS the bail application.

“I will return the case file to the Registry for reassignment,” Mr Egwuatu said.

A spokesman for the SSS did not immediately return request for comment on this story.