Monday, July 1, 2024 -A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a N1 billion suit filed by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, against the Federal Government and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Justice James Omotoso held that Kanu failed
to show evidence that his conversation with his lawyers was bugged by the DSS
or that his lawyers were stopped from taking notes from him during the
conversation.
Justice Omotoso therefore held that there
was no evidence before him to show that Kanu was denied a fair hearing as
claimed in his suit.
Consequently, the court dismissed the suit
for lacking in merit.
Kanu had, through his lawyer, Aloy
Ejimakor, filed the N1b illion suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1633/2023 for the
enforcement of his fundamental rights while in detention.
In the originating motion dated and filed
December 4, 2023, the applicant sued the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN),
Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), DSS and its DG as 1st to 4th
respondents respectively.
The suit was filed pursuant to Order II,
Rules 1 & 2 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009,
among others.
In the motion, the detained IPOB leader
prayed for, “a declaration that the respondents’ act of forcible seizure and
photocopying of confidential legal documents pertaining to facilitating the
preparation of his defence which were brought to him at the respondents’
detention facility by his lawyers, amounted to denial of his rights to be
defended by legal practitioners of his own choice”.
He also sought a declaration that the
respondents’ act of refusing or preventing his counsel from taking notes of
details of the counsel’s professional discussions/consultations with him at DSS
detention.
According to him, this amounted to denial
of his right to be given adequate facilities for the preparation of his defence
by legal practitioners of his own choice.
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