The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Kano branch, has criticised the Kano State Police Command for allegedly refusing to obey a court order.
The chairman of the NBA in Kano, Usman Umar Fari, made the allegation in a statement released on Thursday.
He said the Kano State High Court had ordered the immediate release of lawyer Ahmad Tijjani Miko in a case filed against the Commissioner of Police and three others.
According to him, the lawyer was allegedly held by the police for seven straight days without being taken to court.
Fari said the court order was officially served on the Commissioner of Police in Kano, but the police allegedly ignored it and continued to keep the lawyer in custody.
“When those who are paid by taxpayers to enforce the law become the frontline violators of the law, the fabric of civil society is fundamentally threatened. This flagrant disobedience is not just a violation of the detained legal practitioner’s fundamental human rights; it is a direct assault on the judiciary and a dangerous invitation to anarchy,” he stated.
The NBA chairman described the action as a serious attack on the judiciary and said it could encourage lawlessness in society.
He also said the police should not expect citizens to respect the law if security agencies themselves act without regard for court orders.
Fari stressed that the police must operate within the Constitution and the rule of law.
The NBA called for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained lawyer in line with the court’s ruling.
NBA condemns alleged police defiance of court order in Kano