UPDATED: Court dismisses Nnamdi Kanu’s N1bn suit against FG

Justice James Omotosho, of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, dismissed the Fundamental Human rights suit filed by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu against the Federal Government.

Kanu, in the suit, is seeking N1 billion in damages from the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Department of State Services, for alleged right violation.

Kanu, in the suit, marked: FHC/CS/1633/2023, claimed that the DSS and its Director-General violated his right to a fair hearing by allegedly preventing his lawyers from having unhindered interactions with him where he is being detained, in preparation for his defence in his criminal trial.

Omotosho, while delivering a judgment on the suit, held that Kanu failed to provide credible evidence to sustain his claims that his interactions with his lawyers were interfered with, that he was denied unhindered access to his lawyers and that DSS officials eavesdropped on his conversations with his lawyers, which constituted a breach of his right to a fair hearing.

Omotosho further held that the applicant failed to prove that his lawyers were stopped from taking notes at meetings held with him during visitation, and further held that there was no evidence before him showing that he was denied a fair hearing as claimed in his suit.

On this note, the judge dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.

Kanu, through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, in an originating motion dated and filed December 4, 2023, sued the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the AGF, the DSS, and its DG, as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.