Zainab Kassim, a former aid to the Nigerian First Lady, Aisha Buhari has filed a suit for the enforcement of her fundamental human rights, demanding N100m as damages from the first lady and other respondents.
The other respondents in the case are; the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services.
Mrs. Kassim was allegedly abducted by security agents on 18 November 2022 on the orders of Aisha Buhari and reportedly detained and subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment.
In a suit filed by Sterling Solicitors, counsel to Mrs. Zainab Kassim, Kassim had claimed that “ On 18 November 2022, acting on the orders of Mrs. Aisha Buhari, DSS officers abducted Mrs. Zainab Kassim and took her to the Presidential Villa where she was severally assaulted, dehumanized and abused by the first lady herself and officers of the DSS and Police, on unsubstantiated accusations of deleting the first lady’s posts on social media.
“Mrs. Zainab was eventually detained in horrible conditions for four (4) days and was denied access to her family, lawyers and medications even though she informed them that she was hypertensive. During her incarceration, she fainted and had to be rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.
“Even after her release, persons acting on behalf of the first lady have continued to threaten and harass Mrs. Zainab Kassim not to attempt to seek redress in court over the breach of her rights by the first lady.”
In the suit with the number: FHC/ABJ/05/2021 obtained by NOHR, Kassim is asking the court to declare her arrest and detention as unlawful.
A declaration that the torture, brutalisation, and dehumanisation of the applicant by the 1st respondent and agents of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents, on 18th of November, 2022 is unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal, and constitutes a violation of her right to dignity of the human person.”
She also asked the court to restrain the police and DSS from further arresting, detaining and torturing her and the sum of N100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira) only as Damages.
