Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has ordered payment of N10. 5million to Bayelsa based Journalist, Mr. Jones Abiri as compensation over his illegal detention by the Department of State Services for two years.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court ruled that the DSS has not denied arresting and detaining him since July, 2016.

The Judge ruled that the DSS acted outside the provision of the law regarding the Terrorism Prevention Act.

Mr. Abiri, had gone to court seeking a compensation of 200 million Naira from the Nigerian government for his prolonged detention without trial.

The Publisher of the Yenagoa-based weekly paper, Weekly Source, was arrested by operatives of the DSS in July 2016 and detained till July 2018 without trial.

He was later arraigned following wide condemnation of his prolonged incarceration, and was subsequently granted bail.

In the application Mr Abiri asked the court to compel the DSS to pay him for the flagrant abuse of his rights and torture experienced during his detention by the operatives.

According to the application, Mr Abiri’s lawyers, led by Femi Falana, submitted that the prolonged detention without trial violates their client’s right to personal liberty, dignity of person, freedom of association and fair hearing among others.