THE Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court has ordered the Federal Government of Nigeria to release a Nigerian businessman, Moses Abiodun, who has been in detention since 2009 without trial, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.

The court on Thursday also ordered the Nigerian government to pay N20 million compensation to the victim for what it described as the “multiple violations” of his fundamental human rights.

Abiodun had filed the suit marked: ECW/CCJ/APP/56/22, alleging that he was arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit in November, 2008.

The applicant had alleged that he was later detained, initially for five months without charge, and subsequently on a remand order issued on March 23, 2009 by a Magistrates Court in Lagos State.

According to the applicant, he has never been formally charged, tried, or convicted of any offense throughout the 16 years that he was rotting away in custody.

He contended in his submission before the Community Court that his prolonged detention violated his rights under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international instruments to which Nigeria was a party.

The Nigerian government, in its submission before the Community Court, however, denied the allegations.

The government had questioned the authenticity of the remand warrant presented by the applicant and challenged the admissibility of the case.

Delivering judgment, the court held that the prolonged detention of the applicant constituted a grave violation of his rights to liberty.

According to the court, the act is in breach of Article 6 of the African Charter and Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

According to the court, the act is in breach of Article 6 of the African Charter and Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).