Kanu sought damages from the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Department of State Services, for alleged right violation.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily– A Federal High Court on Monday dismissed the fundamental human rights suit filed by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu, against the Federal Government (FG).
Kanu, through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, in an originating motion dated and filed December 4, 2023, sued the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the AGF, the DSS, and its DG, as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.
The suit was filed under Order II, Rules 1 & 2 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009, among others.
In the N1 billion suit, he sought damages from the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Department of State Services, for alleged right violation.
Marked FHC/CS/1633/2023, Kanu claimed in the suit that the DSS and its Director-General violated his right to a fair hearing by preventing his lawyers from having unhindered interactions with him in preparation for his defence in his trial.
However, Justice James Omotosho, while delivering a judgment on the suit, held that Kanu failed to provide credible evidence to sustain his claims that his interactions with his lawyers were interfered with.
He also faulted his claim that he was denied unhindered access to his lawyers and that DSS officials eavesdropped on his conversations with his lawyers, thereby breaching his right to a fair hearing.
Omotosho further held that Kanu failed to prove that his lawyers were stopped from taking notes at meetings held with him during visitation, and could not provide evidence to show that he was denied a fair hearing as claimed in his suit.
Justice Omotosho, therefore, dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.