Abiodun Onafuye/ Abeokuta.
The Department of State Services, DSS on Monday released an Ogun State-based Islamic Cleric, Abdul-Ganiy Jimoh Ibrahim, after a spell of 14 months in detention.
Ibrahim was arrested last July at his Ijoko-Ota residence in Ado-Odo/Ota local government area of the state, on suspicion of being involved with terrorism.
His release came nearly three months after Justice Folake Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court in Abeokuta declared the continuous incarceration of the clergyman as illegal and unconstitutional.
The cleric was arrested on July 5, 2014 alongside his pregnant wife,Muinat Abdul-Ganiy Ibrahim and has been in custody until he breathed the freedom air this morning, when he was released around 11:00 am to members of his family.
The whereabouts of the Islamic scholar and his wife was unknown until after 64 days, when the wife was released from the Abeokuta office of DSS as her Expected Delivery Date, EDD was approaching.
The DSS had earlier denied arresting the cleric until the wife was released to family members for delivery.
Family members, followers and well wishers today thronged the premises of the Federal High Court as Ibrahim was released to his lawyer, Ahmed Adetola-Kaseem and wife.
The clergyman,who looked frail after his release, betrayed emotions, as he wept profusely while sympathisers also joined the wailing.
“Let us just thank Allah who has allowed me to see this day, I will just thank Allah and to appreciate all those who assisted. I will not be able to speak much,let us just thank Allah,let us leave it like that”, ibrahim said after he was released.
The counsel, Adetola-Kaseem who is also the Director, Prisoners Right Advocacy Initiative bemoaned what he tagged selective compliance of the court orders.
He said, “We just have to thank Allah like the cleric has said. Many people were arrested and have died in custody, many of them, people don’t even know where they were. This particular cleric, nobody knew where he was for 64 days, until when his wife was being released that we knew where he was.
“We started the battle, got the judgement, but the judgement was also not obeyed. But, at the appointed time, he was released,we are grateful. On the damages, we will discuss and know where to go now that the cleric is out. They are yet to comply and also with the public apology”,the counsel posited.