A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Defence Intelligence Agency to produce an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria, before it on February 18 over allegations of involvement in a coup plot against the administration of Bola Tinubu.
Justice Peter Lifu gave the directive while stressing that all authorities remain subordinate to civil rule.
He noted that the provisions of Section 36 of the Constitution of Nigeria guarantee fair hearing and apply to all citizens.
The court also observed that Nigeria, as a signatory to various international human rights conventions, must not be seen to undermine such obligations.
The order followed a fundamental rights enforcement application filed by the cleric’s lawyers — Sunusi Musa (SAN), Abdul Aliyu (SAN), and Mohammed Sheriff — against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Attorney General of the Federation, and Jaiz Bank, seeking his release from detention.
During proceedings, counsel to the DIA told the court that the cleric was being held on behalf of the Defence Headquarters and that the chairman of the Special Investigation Panel was out of the country.
Sources close to the family linked his detention to a N2 million transfer allegedly made into the account of a detained leader of the Fityanul Islam Tijanniyya sect by one of his followers, who was reportedly implicated in the coup allegation.
The court heard that the cleric had been kept in what authorities described as “safe custody” since December 11, 2025, without access to his family or associates after investigations were launched on security grounds.
Justice Lifu subsequently directed the intelligence agency to either produce the cleric in court on the next adjourned date or present the legal basis for his continued detention.
