Why the Court Dismissed Nnamdi Kanu’s ₦1 Billion Human Rights Lawsuit

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, July 1, 2024, dismissed the fundamental human rights lawsuit brought by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Justice Omotosho ruled that Kanu, who has been in detention since June 2021, failed to provide credible evidence to sustain his claims.

In December 2023, Kanu sued the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Department of State Services (DSS) for ₦1 billion in damages for alleged rights violations.

The leader of IPOB alleged that the DSS and its director general violated his right to a fair trial by allegedly restricting his lawyers’ access to him during his detention, hindering his preparation for his defense in his criminal case.

Kanu also claimed that DSS officials eavesdropped on his conversations with his lawyers, which constituted a breach of his right to a fair hearing. Kanu demanded ₦1 billion for these violations of his rights.

However, Justice Omotosho ruled that the allegations that Kanu was denied unrestricted access to his lawyers by DSS personnel and that his conversations with legal counsel were monitored during defense preparations could not be established.

There have been renewed calls for the IPOB leader to be released.

On Saturday, July 29, Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, asked the Federal Government of Nigeria to release the separatist leader.

“I don’t see any reason for his continuous detention, especially as the courts have granted him bail. The government must obey the court,” Peter Obi reportedly told reporters in Onitsha, Anambra State.

“The rule of law is an intricate asset that we must cherish and live with. I use this opportunity to plead with the federal government to ensure that all those who are in similar conditions are released and discussed,’’ he said.

Also in June, about 50 House of Representatives members wrote a letter to President Bola Tinubu, asking for Nnamdi Kanu’s release.

On July 19, Kanu expressed readiness to negotiate with the Federal Government, who arrested him in 2021 in Kenya and brought him back to the country, where he was slammed with multiple charges.