Adeyanju demands immediate release of Abdul Mahmud from Keffi prison

Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has called for the release of fellow lawyer Abdul Mahmud, following reports that he was remanded in prison on the strength of a court order.

Adeyanju, who disclosed that he currently has a pending civil suit against Mahmud, said the preservation of personal liberty must always be handled with utmost caution and in strict compliance with due process.

Mahmud, described as a vocal figure in Nigeria’s legal and civic space and a former student union leader, has been remanded at Keffi prison.

Adeyanju noted that regardless of differing views, Mahmud’s status as a lawyer and public intellectual should be respected.

He stressed that legal practitioners should not face punitive measures for discharging their professional responsibilities or expressing opinions on matters of public concern, except in circumstances clearly defined and justified by law.

According to him, the standard for depriving any citizen particularly an officer of the court of liberty must be high and convincingly established.

Adeyanju maintained that his ongoing civil case against Mahmud does not weaken his commitment to the rule of law, adding that the independence of the Bar and the safeguarding of individual freedoms go beyond personal disagreements.

He therefore called for Mahmud’s unconditional release from Keffi prison pending the fair and proper determination of all issues before the court.