The High Court in Accra has adjourned the hearing of a habeas corpus application filed by Alhaji Seidu Abagri, a central figure in the Bawku chieftaincy dispute, to Monday, January 12, 2026, after his lawyers moved the application on Thursday, December 8, 2025.
Presiding Judge Halima El-Alawa Abdul-Basit requested additional time to review the application after hearing a brief submission from lawyer Martin Kpebu, who represents Alhaji Abagri.
The motion, filed ex-parte on January 5, 2026, challenges the legality of Alhaji Abagri’s detention by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) since his removal from Bawku by military personnel on December 24, 2025.
During the hearing, Kpebu informed the court that only Baba Seidu Abdulai, the applicant’s son, had been granted brief access to Alhaji Abagri, while the detained individual has been denied contact with his legal team. He described the NIB’s refusal to allow family access as a form of torture, emphasizing violations of constitutional rights to counsel and fair treatment.
The judge, after considering the points raised, opted to adjourn the matter for further deliberation, setting the next date for January 12, 2026.
The application stems from allegations outlined in a supporting affidavit by Baba Seidu Abdulai, claiming Alhaji Abagri was unlawfully arrested from his Bawku home and held without proper legal process.
It accuses the NIB and Ministry of Interior of breaching Articles 14 and 15 of the 1992 Constitution, including the 48-hour rule for court appearance post-detention.
A prior ex-parte detention order obtained by NIB officers at the Adenta Circuit Court on December 26, 2025, is contested as null and void due to Alhaji Abagri’s absence and lack of representation.
The case is linked to the Bawku chieftaincy conflict, where Alhaji Abagri was enskinned as a rival Bawku Naaba for the Mamprusi in 2024.
His removal followed the Asantehene’s mediation recommendations, which recognized Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II as the rightful chief of Bawku.
Otumfuo’s meditation which has since been fully endorsed by the government, recommended that Alhaji Abagre be recalled by the overlord of Mamprusi Kingdom, Nayiri, Naa Bohugu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga or elect to remain in Bawku as a private citizen.