Popular human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has faulted the seven-month detention of a former soldier, Emmanuel Odaudu, over some old Facebook videos.
According to reports, Odaudu was dismissed from the Nigerian Army for posting short videos of himself rapping while in uniform on social media.
He was reportedly arrested and detained for three months for ‘disrespecting the Nigerian Army’ until he was dismissed.
Speaking to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday, Falana condemned the Army for illegally detaining Odaudu for over seven months without any trial.
He described the continuous detention of his client as illegal and unconstitutional, noting that the Army had no constitutional power to detain any person beyond 24 hours.
Falana asked the Nigerian Army to arraign Odaudu before a competent court and present any evidence that his client had committed an offence known to law.
According to Falana, Emmanuel’s indefinite detention was alien to constitutional democracy.
