- Lack of Prosecution: The Federal High Court in Abuja struck out Nnamdi Kanu’s N50 billion lawsuit against the Federal Government due to lack of diligent prosecution.
- Absence of Representation: Neither Kanu nor the Federal Government was represented by lawyers during the hearing, leading to the dismissal.
- Allegations of Rights Violation: Kanu alleged that his rights were violated when he was kidnapped from Kenya and brought back to Nigeria to stand trial.
- Court’s Decision: The court’s decision was based on the fact that the case had taken three adjournments due to no representation.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), had filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government, alleging that his rights were violated when he was kidnapped from Kenya and brought back to Nigeria to stand trial. The lawsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/462/2022, sought 11 reliefs, including an order for his release from the Department of State Services (DSS) custody.
Kanu alleged that his abduction and detention were unconstitutional and violated his fundamental rights. He cited the provisions of Article 12 (4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Section 15 of the Extradition Act, arguing that his trial was unlawful.
Justice Inyang Ekwo struck out the suit, stating that the case had taken three adjournments due to no representation. The judge noted that neither Kanu nor the Federal Government was represented by lawyers during the hearing, leading to the dismissal of the case.
