A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a N1 billion lawsuit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the Federal Government and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Justice James Omotoso ruled that Kanu did not provide evidence that the DSS bugged his conversations with his lawyers or prevented his lawyers from taking notes during their meetings.
The judge concluded that there was no proof Kanu was denied a fair hearing, as claimed in his suit. Therefore, the court dismissed the case for lacking merit.
Kanu, represented by his lawyer Aloy Ejimakor, had filed the suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1633/2023) seeking 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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