The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate and unconditional release of Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Abdulladir Zaria, from the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Peter Lifu held that the cleric’s prolonged detention without trial violated his constitutional rights, awarding ₦2 million each in damages against the DIA and DSS.
The court also ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Jaiz Bank to pay ₦1 million each for freezing the cleric’s account without a valid court order.
Justice Lifu further directed the security agencies to tender a public apology to the cleric and ordered full compliance with the judgment by the Attorney General of the Federation.
Sheikh Zaria was reportedly arrested in connection with an alleged coup plot investigation involving associates of the federal government. He had been in detention since December 2025.
His lawyers maintained that he was innocent, arguing that funds traced to his account were linked to a disciple and did not constitute criminal involvement.
The court criticised the continued detention without due process, warning security agencies against acting outside the limits of the law.
