Federal Court dismisses Nnamdi Kanu’s N1bn suit on Alleged rights breach.

                                                                                         By vivian saleh: kindly share story.

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, dismissed a N1 billion suit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the Federal Government and Department of State Services (DSS).

According to reports the IPOB leader, through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, had sued the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), DSS, and its DG as 1st to 4th respondents, respectively.

In the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1633/2023, dated and filed Dec. 4, 2023, the applicant prayed for eight reliefs.

He sought “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 preventing his counsel from taking notes on the details of counsel’s professional discussions/consultations with him at DSS detention was unlawful.

He further sought a declaration that the respondents’ act of eavesdropping on his confidential consultations/conversations with his lawyers amounted to denial of his right, among others.

But in a counter affidavit dated and filed by the DSS on March 12, the security outfit denied allegations levelled against it.

He also sought an order mandating the respondents to jointly and severally pay the sum of N1 billion as damages for the mental, emotional, psychological, and other damages he suffered as a result of his rights’ breach, among others.

Justice James Omotosho, in a judgment, held that Kanu failed to provide credible evidence to back the alleged violation of his fundamental rights by the defendants.Justice Omotosho held that the claims that Kanu was denied unhindered access to his lawyers by the operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) and that the officials eavesdropped on his conversations with his lawyers in the preparation for his defence, could not be established.