End arbitrary detention of Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos, AYCF urges DSS, FG

<p>The Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF) has joined the calls for an end to the continuous detention of Alhaji Aminu Idris Yaro, the Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos. It observed that his detention is arbitrary and a breach of his fundamental right to personal liberty.</p>, <p>AYCF, in a statement by its President, Yerima Shettima, made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday, expressed regret that in the 21st century, Nigeria’s security agencies would still arrogate to themselves powers of arrest and arbitrarily detain individuals in cases where there is no likelihood or evidence that they committed a crime against legal statute.</p>, <p>“In the instant case of the arrest and detention of the Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos, there has been no proper due process of law or order.</p>, <p>Virtually, the Sarkin Hausawa and other individuals who are arbitrarily arrested and detained by the DSS are given no explanation as to why they are being arrested, and they are not shown any arrest warrant,” Shettima said in the statement.</p>, <p>Shettima noted that depending on the social context, Sarkin Hausawa and the vast majority of arbitrarily arrested individuals are held incommunicado by the DSS, and their whereabouts are concealed from their family, associates, the public population, and open trial courts.</p>, <p>He said arbitrarily depriving an individual of their liberty is prohibited under international human rights law. “Article 9 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights decrees that ‘no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile’.”</p>, <p>“This, in essence, means that regardless of circumstances, it is wrong for the DSS to deprive Sarkin Hausawa of his liberty without proper due process of law and without having first committed an actual criminal offence against a legal statute.</p>, <p>“As well, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights specifies the protection from arbitrary arrest and detention by Article 9,” he said. The implementation of the Covenants is monitored by the Un