Imo: New Law Allows State Gov. Detain Anyone Without Court Warrant

Sections of the Imo State's Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2020, a newly signed law, administers power to the governor of the state to detain anyone on the whim without any court warrant.

According to TheCable, sections 484 and 485 of the law confer on the governor the power to detain anyone at his pleasure.

 “Where any person is ordered to be detained during the Governor’s pleasure he shall notwithstanding anything in this Law or in any other written law contained be liable to be detained in such place and under such conditions as the Governor may direct and whilst so detained shall be deemed to be in legal custody," section 484 reads.

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While section 485 says that the person can be “detained during the Governor’s pleasure may at any time be discharged by the Governor on license” and that “a license under subsection (1) of this section may be in such form and may contain such conditions as the Governor may direct”.

The license referred to in section 485 “may at anytime be revoked or varied by the Governor. Where license has been revoked the person to whom the license relates shall proceed to such place as the Governor may direct and if he fails to do so, may be arrested without warrant and taken to such place.”