Court dismisses Kanu’s N1b right violation suit against DSS

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, dismissed a suit by the detained leader of the separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking N1 billion damages for alleged right violation.

Justice James Omotosho held that Kanu failed to provide credible evidence to sustain his claims that his interactions with his lawyers were interfered with, and that he was denied unhindered access to his lawyers, and that Department of State Services (DSS) officials eavesdropped on his conversations with his lawyers, which constituted a breach of his right to fair hearing.

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

Kanu had, on December 4, 2023, filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit before Justice Omotosho, accusing DSS operatives of hindering his defence preparation.

He also accused the SSS operatives of preventing his lawyers from taking notes while meeting with him, sometimes out rightly preventing them from meeting him.

According to him, the DSS operatives also seized and photocopied sensitive documents meant for his defence.

He said that these actions impaired his defence in his ongoing trial, amounting to violation of his rights.

However, justice Omotosho, in his judgement, yesterday, held that Kanu failed to provide credible evidence to back the alleged violation of his fundamental rights.

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