TheCable

Jones Abiri, a Bayelsa-based journalist, has asked the Abuja federal high court to compel the federal government to pay him N200 million as compensation for spending two years in detention.

In July 2016, Abiri, publisher of Weekly Source Newspaper, was arrested by Department of State Services (DSS) and accused of being the the leader of the joint revolutionary council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, a separatist group.

The journalist was also accused of threatening oil companies and demanding money from them.

He was arraigned for the first time after two years in July following public outcry. Abiri was granted bail in August.

In the application already filed at the court by his lawyers led by Femi Falana, Abiri said the DSS violated his rights and tortured him.

The journalist argued that his prolonged detention without a trial violates his dignity of person and freedom of association.

The application could not be heard when it was called on Monday as G. O. Agbadua, counsel to DSS, had not filed an affidavit, replying to the motion brought against his organisation.

Agbadua told the court that he would need more time to respond to the motion.

The matter was then adjourned till September 3.