Amnesty International Nigeria has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to either release or arraign Engr. Tahiru Mohammed Salihu, alleging that he has been held in custody without trial since February 2023.
In a statement, the human rights organisation said Salihu has remained in DSS detention for more than three years without being charged before a court, describing the prolonged detention as a violation of due process and the rule of law.
According to Amnesty International, DSS operatives arrested Salihu during an early morning raid on his residence in Kubwa, Abuja, at about 4:30 a.m. on February 4, 2023.
The organisation alleged that repeated efforts by his lawyers and family members to gain access to him have been denied, leaving his wife and children without information about his condition or legal status.
Amnesty International said the continued detention without trial had subjected the family to prolonged uncertainty and emotional distress, arguing that no individual should be held indefinitely regardless of the allegations against them.
The organisation warned that prolonged incommunicado detention increases the risk of torture and other forms of ill-treatment, while undermining fundamental human rights protections guaranteed under the law.
It urged the Nigerian authorities to uphold the rule of law by ensuring Salihu is granted immediate access to his family and legal counsel and is either promptly charged before a competent court or released if there is insufficient evidence to prosecute him.
Amnesty International further stressed that all government institutions, particularly security agencies, must operate strictly within the confines of the law and respect constitutional safeguards and international human rights obligations.
The Department of State Services had not publicly responded to Amnesty International’s allegations at the time of filing this report.
