Obey Court Orders Now or Go Home - Judge Blows Hot on DSS

A judge has expressed frustrations about the rate at which court orders are flouted by the Department of State Security under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday said it will stop granting applications filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) until all orders of the court are obeyed and executed.

This was stated by a vacation judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, when the DSS Counsel, GOA Agbadua, brought an application for a remand warrant.

Dimgba had been furious after the court ordered the detention of Air Commodore Umar Mohammed (Rtd.) who was arraigned before him in Kuje prison pending the hearing of his bail application, but the DSS had kept him in its custody.

Dimgba also cited another instance when he ordered the service to produce some accused persons in court but noted that the DSS had yet to comply with the directive.

“The court will not grant any application of the DSS until there is sufficient proof that all orders of the court have been obeyed.

“It will be counter-productive for the court to take this application and grant the reliefs sought by the DSS.

“This court hereby adjourns this application sine die until the applicant’s counsel files an affidavit deposing to the fact that all outstanding orders of this court on the DSS have been complied with,’’ the judge added.

The President Muhammadu Buhari administration has been heavily criticized by Nigerians and members of the opposing People's Democratic Party over the perceived abuse of fundamental human rights by security operatives.