Avocats Sans Frontières France (Lawyers Without Borders France), has secured the release Moses Abiodun who has been in detention for over 16 years.
Abiodun, a Nigerian businessman, was arrested in November 2008 by operatives of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and detained for over 16 years in pre-trial detention for.
According to the suit filed before the ECOWAS Court, he was initially held for five months without charge, before a remand order was issued on March 23, 2009 by a Magistrate Court in Lagos State.
Abiodun had since then remained incarcerated, without formal charge, trial, or conviction.
Through a pro-bono legal aid intervention by ASF France, ASF said a landmark judgment was issued by the ECOWAS Court of Justice on 15th May 2025 in the case of Moses Abiodun v. Federal Republic of Nigeria (Application No. ECW/CCJ/APP/56/22).
The Court ruled that the prolonged detention of Mr. Moses Abiodun without trial constitutes a gross violation of his fundamental human rights.
In its ruling, the ECOWAS Court found that Mr. Abiodun’s prolonged detention violates multiple provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The Court also dismissed the Nigerian government’s objections regarding the admissibility of the case and the authenticity of the remand warrant.
In a closed-door media briefing, the Country Director of ASF France in Nigeria, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu emphasized the significance of the successful judgement saying
“This decision is a powerful reaffirmation of the fundamental rights to liberty, due process, and fair trial. No individual should languish in detention without being charged or tried before a court of competent jurisdiction.
This case exposes critical systemic failures in the justice system and underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reform to protect against arbitrary detention in Nigeria and across the region.
The judgment marks a significant step toward justice and accountability, while also reinforcing the critical importance of regional judicial mechanisms in upholding human rights when national systems fall short.”
