A Federal High Court sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Department of State Services (DSS) to pay N407 million into the court’s account as compensation for the death of Salamatu Adamu in their custody or face sanctions.
The order was given on 24th February 2025, in case number FHC/LF/FHR/13/2024, between Mallam Musa Shittu Mohammed and the DSS. At the last sitting, the counsel representing the DSS was absent.
Justice Ajiya H. Nganjiwa had earlier ruled that the DSS pay a cumulative sum of N407 million to the family of the deceased, a 45-year-old mother of three from Tudun Kofa, Lafia, who was allegedly tortured and killed while in custody.
Delivering the ruling, Justice M.O. Olajuwon directed the DSS not to take any further action until the judgement sum is deposited in the court’s account.
“The stay of execution is granted on the condition that the DSS deposits the total judgment sum in an interest-yielding account of the court within seven days from today, February 24, 2025,” she ruled.
The judge emphasised that as a government institution, the DSS should comply with the court’s directive without coercion.
“The N407 million is a compensation sum for the family of Salamatu Adamu. As an institution that understands the rule of law, the DSS should not need to be forced to comply with the directive,” she added.
Meanwhile, the DSS has filed an application seeking to stay the execution of the judgement and has also sought leave to appeal the ruling at the Court of Appeal, Makurdi. The appeal hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, 5th March 2025.
In an interview with journalists in his office on Monday, explaining the context of the ruling, counsel to the applicant, Abubakar Abubakar Dogara Esq, commended the court’s decision.
“Our case, upon which the Federal High Court I compensated our applicant, was for an equivalent sum of N407 million. The DSS failed to appeal within the stipulated time and has now filed a motion seeking an extension to do so at the Court of Appeal. We will counter that motion,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report on 3rd March 2025, which marks the last day of the court’s ultimatum, the DSS has yet to deposit the judgement sum into the court’s account.
