By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The High Court has directed the Attorney-General to explain the legal basis for the continued detention of Alhaji Seidu Abagre, amid claims that he has been held unlawfully for weeks without due process.
The order was issued during a hearing on a habeas corpus application filed by Abagre’s lawyers, who are challenging both his arrest and ongoing detention. The court has given the Attorney-General up to January 21, 2026, to file a written report justifying why Abagre remains in custody. The case has been adjourned to January 26 for further proceedings.
Abagre has been a central figure in the long-running Bawku chieftaincy dispute after laying claim to the Bawku skin. That claim was dismissed in a mediation report led by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, which affirmed Naaba Asigri Abugrago Asoka II as the legitimate Bawku Naba.
Following the mediation outcome, Abagre was reportedly required either to leave Bawku and accept reassignment by the Nayiri, the Overlord of Mamprugu who initially selected him, or to remain in the area strictly as a private citizen.
Despite these directives, Abagre was later arrested by the Ghana Armed Forces and handed over to the National Investigations Bureau (NIB), where he has been in custody since December 24, 2025.
His legal team argues that the detention is unconstitutional, insisting that Abagre has been held without proper justification. They further contend that although the state obtained a court order to detain him, the order was secured without granting him a hearing, which they say violates his fundamental rights.
In court, the judge noted that under Section 2 of the Habeas Corpus Act, the court has the authority to demand a written explanation from the detaining authority and, where necessary, order the physical production of the detainee.
The court indicated that a decision on whether Abagre should be brought before the court in person will be considered after reviewing the Attorney-General’s report.
