Coup: Court orders defence agency to produce detained cleric Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria on February 18

A Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to produce an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria, before it on February 18, following his detention since December 2025 without a valid court order.

Justice Peter Lifu, in issuing the order, emphasized that all authorities are subordinate to civil authority. He stated that the provisions of Section 36(1)(5) and (6) of the 1999 Constitution apply to the cleric, as they do to all citizens.

The judge further noted that Nigeria, as a signatory to various international conventions on human rights, must not lag in upholding such standards.

The court’s directive came after a fundamental rights enforcement application was filed by the cleric’s legal team—comprising Sunusi Musa (SAN), Abdul Aliyu (SAN), and Mohammed Sheriff—against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the DIA, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and Jaiz Bank Plc. The application seeks Sheikh Zaria’s release from detention.

During the proceedings, counsel for the DIA, I. O. Odom, whose submission was adopted by EFCC’s representative, M.C. Odimbaiwe, informed the court that the agency was merely holding the applicant on behalf of the Defence Headquarters. Odom also noted that the provost marshal had informed him that the chairman of the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) was currently out of the country.

Family sources have linked the cleric’s detention to a N2 million gift transferred to the bank account of the detained leader of the Fityanul Islam Tijanniyya sect by one of his followers, who was implicated in a recent coup allegation.

The judge noted that since December 11, 2025, the applicant has been held in what is termed “safe custody,” without access to his family or associates, following the initiation of an investigation into his activities on grounds described as security-related.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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