Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been awarded N1 billion by a high court in Umuahia, Abia state, for violations of his rights.
Kanu, who is being held by the Department of State Services (DSS), filed the lawsuit through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, against Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami and the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly violating his fundamental human rights.
Aside from the AGF and the DSS director-general, other respondents include the federal government of Nigeria (first), chief of army staff (third), inspector-general of police (fifth), and three others.
Amongst other reliefs sought in the suit marked HIH/FR14/2021, Kanu asked the court to compel the respondents to pay him N5 billion in damages as monetary compensation for the “physical, mental, emotional, psychological and other damages” suffered as a result of the alleged infringement on his fundamental rights.
He also sought damages for the invasion of his father’s house on September 10, 2017, by the military.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Benson Anya, the judge, described the invasion of Kanu’s Afaraukwu residence as notorious and brazen.
The judge also ordered the federal government to issue a public apology to Kanu in three national dailies.
He also advised the federal government to adopt a political resolution in dealing with issues involving Kanu.
However, the judge struck out other reliefs sought by Kanu’s legal team, including an order against his continued detention by the DSS.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
