On July 1, 2024, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a fundamental human rights lawsuit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the Federal Government.
Kanu sought N1 billion in damages, alleging that his rights had been violated by the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Department of State Services (DSS). He claimed that the DSS and its Director General obstructed his right to a fair hearing by hindering his lawyers’ access to him during his detention, thereby impairing his defense preparation.
Justice Omotosho, however, ruled that Kanu failed to provide credible evidence supporting his allegations that DSS officials interfered with or monitored his interactions with his lawyers, thus breaching his right to a fair hearing.
