Jonathan Nwokpor
The leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, filed a new N1 billion lawsuit against the federal government on Monday. The court again postponed the suit’s hearing until March 18 of this year.
When counsel did not represent Kanu in court, Justice James Omotosho scheduled the hearing for today, according to a January 8 report from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
I.I. Hassan, the defence attorney, informed the court during today’s resumed hearing that the parties had not yet received any process servings in the case.
Alloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s attorney, countered that all the procedures required to serve as the defence team had been perfectly executed.
He questioned why the bailiff had not yet served the defence with the initial motion and other applications.
In the end, Justice Omotosho postponed the case to March 18, 2024, so that the plaintiff may serve the suit’s defence.
Recall that in order to have his fundamental rights upheld while he was being held in jail, Kanu, via his attorney Ejimakor, filed the most recent lawsuit, which is designated FHC/ABJ/CS/1633/2023.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), the Attorney General’s Office (AGF), the Department of State Service (DSS), and its Director-General were sued by the applicant in the original motion, which was dated and filed on December 4.
In accordance with Order II, Rules 1 and 2 of the 2009 Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules, among other provisions, the lawsuit was filed.
The incarcerated IPOB leader pleaded for eight reliefs in the motion.
He sought “a declaration that the respondents’ act of refusing or preventing his counsel from taking notes of details of counsel’s professional discussions/consultations with him at DSS detention, with said discussions/consultations relating to preparation of his defence amounted to denial of his right to be given adequate facilities for the preparation of his defence by legal practitioners of his own choice.”
He declared that the acts violated his fundamental right to a fair trial, which is protected by Section 36(6)(b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 7(1)(c) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, and that they were illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional.
In addition, Kanu requested an order of injunction stopping the respondents from taking secret legal documents that his attorneys had brought to him in the detention centre and photocopying them.
“An order of injunction restraining and prohibiting the respondents from their act of eavesdropping on the applicant’s confidential consultations/conversations with his lawyers on matters relating to preparation of applicant’s defence during the lawyers’ visitations with the applicant at the detention facility.”
In addition, he is requesting an order directing the respondents to pay N1 billion in damages for any mental, emotional, psychological, and other harm he sustained as a result of the respondents’ violation of his rights jointly and severally.
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