The wife of former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive Officer Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba has gone to court demanding to know his whereabouts and seeking his immediate release, after he was arrested by armed operatives at Accra International Airport on July 4, 2026, just as he prepared to travel abroad under a court-approved medical trip.
Hajia Faiza Seidu Wuni filed an urgent habeas corpus application at the High Court’s Specialised Court in Accra on July 6, asking the court to compel the Director of the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) and the Attorney-General to produce her husband and explain the basis for his continued detention.
According to her sworn affidavit, Abdul-Wahab, who is standing trial on charges of stealing and causing financial loss to the state, had been granted permission by the High Court on June 29 to travel to London for treatment of a worsening eye condition, with the order requiring him to leave on or before July 4 and return by July 14.
The affidavit states that Abdul-Wahab completed all standard pre-departure checks at the airport, including clearance from the Ghana Immigration Service, before he was confronted by armed men identifying themselves as BNI officers and taken into custody without explanation.
His wife says he was denied the chance to speak with his lawyer at the time of arrest, and that the family spent hours making frantic calls to security agencies, all of which denied holding him, before learning the next day that he was being held at BNI headquarters in Ridge, Accra.
She further alleges that when she tried to deliver food to her husband at the BNI headquarters, she was turned away and told visitors were not permitted on weekends, and that lawyers who later sought access to him were also denied, with officers reportedly citing a lack of clearance.
The arrest drew public comment from Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai, who said in a Facebook post the same night that Abdul-Wahab’s arrest followed an attempt to access funds in a frozen bank account through improper means, specifically an alleged attempt to empty a Republic Bank account two days before his arrest. Dr Srem-Sai added that the Attorney-General’s office intended to challenge the court order that had permitted Abdul-Wahab’s travel in the first place.
Abdul-Wahab’s wife firmly disputes this account in her affidavit, stating her husband denies the allegation entirely and describing it as a claim with no basis, while calling on the state to provide proof.
Her application argues that the arrest and ongoing detention violate her husband’s constitutional rights, including his right to personal liberty and to legal representation, and asks the court to order his production so the legality of his detention can be reviewed.
The BNI and the Attorney-General’s office have not yet issued a formal response to the habeas corpus filing. The matter is now before the High Court in Accra.
