The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court yesterday ordered the Federal Government to release a businessman, Moses Abiodun, who has been in detention since 2009 without trial.

The court 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.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abiodun filed the suit alleging that he was arrested by 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 offence 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.