On Monday, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed the fundamental human rights lawsuit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the Federal Government.
Kanu had sued the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Department of State Services (DSS), seeking N1 billion in damages for alleged violations of his rights. In the lawsuit, marked FHC/CS/1633/2023, Kanu claimed that the DSS and its Director General had violated his right to a fair hearing. He alleged that his lawyers were prevented from having unrestricted interactions with him while he was in detention, which hindered his preparation for his criminal trial defense.
However, Justice Omotosho, in his judgment, stated that Kanu did not provide credible evidence to support his claims. The judge ruled that there was insufficient proof that the DSS interfered with Kanu’s interactions with his lawyers, denied him unrestricted access to legal counsel, or eavesdropped on his conversations with his lawyers, all of which would have constituted a breach of his right to a fair hearing.