Appeals court rules 12-year-old's arrest unlawful

The Nigerian Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri, has upheld the judgment of the Enugu State High Court, which declared the arrest and detention of a 12-year-old boy by the State Security Service (SSS) as unlawful and a violation of his fundamental rights, reports The Vanguard. The Enugu High Court had earlier declared the arrest of Stephen Egwuatu as illegal and fined the SSS N5m ($35 773 00). The SSS then appealed the judgment. Egwuatu, now 16-years-old, was said to have been arrested when he was 12-years-old on 8 November 2021. He was however, released on 11 November 2021. Giving insight into the case, counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said the ruling was a landmark judgment. ‘It is pertinent to note that Stephen was only 12 years at the time of his arrest and detention. The court strongly condemned the actions of the SSS, and consequently awarded a cost of N5m against the SSS.'

Full report in The Vanguard