The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday struck out a N50 billion fundamental human rights suit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), challenging his 2021 arrest and repatriation from Kenya.
The suit, filed against the Federal Government, was dismissed due to the repeated absence of Kanu’s legal team in court.
Originally filed by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) on April 7, 2022, the suit sought 11 reliefs. Kanu’s current lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, later informed the court of his intention to take over the case.
Kanu, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/462/2022, alleged that he was abducted in Kenya and illegally brought back to Nigeria. He asked the court to rule on the legality of his rendition under Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Section 15 of the Extradition Act.
Kanu also requested an order for his release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and an injunction to stop his ongoing criminal trial (FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015). He demanded N50bn in compensation for the alleged violation of his rights.
However, in a preliminary objection dated June 27, 2022, the Federal Government and the Attorney-General of the Federation argued that the suit constituted an abuse of court process, noting Kanu had filed a similar case in the Federal High Court, Umuahia (FHC/UM/CS/30/2022).
At the resumed hearing, Justice Inyang Ekwo struck out the case due to lack of representation by both Kanu’s legal team and the Federal Government. He noted that Kanu had no counsel present at previous hearings and that the matter had been adjourned multiple times for the same reason.
