By John Ogunsemore
The detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has lost his fundamental rights enforcement suit filed against the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Following his June 2021 extraordinary rendition from Kenya, the IPOB leader had dragged the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Department of State Service (DSS) to court seeking N1 billion in damages for alleged rights violations.
The plaintiff argued that the DSS and its Director-General violated his constitutional right to fair hearing by preventing his lawyers from having unfettered access to him in detention to enable adequate preparation for his defence in his criminal trial.
Ruling on the suit marked: FHC/CS/1633/2023 on Monday, Justice James Omotosho held that Kanu failed to provide credible evidence to substantiate his claims that his interactions with his lawyers were interfered with by the respondents, that he was denied unfettered access to his lawyers or that DSS officials eavesdropped on his conversations with his lawyers, which constituted a breach of his right to a fair hearing.
The judgement comes barely two weeks after Kanu signified his readiness to negotiate with the Federal Government to stop his treasonable felony trial.
Kanu has been facing treasonable felony charges before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja since 2015.
His trial stalled in 2017 when he fled the court, alleging that military authorities planned to exterminate him.
Kanu, who is a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, was brought back to Nigeria in 2021 and his trial resumed. Justice Nyako ordered the defendant to be remanded in DSS custody.
Through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, on December 4, 2023, the separatist filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit before Justice Omotosho alleging a violation of his rights by the AGF, DSS and DSS DG and demanding N1 billion in compensation.