Abia State High Court has ordered Federal Government to pay N1 billion as compensation to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, over the invasion of his residence by the security agents.
Kanu had approached the court demanding N5 billion over the invasion of his father’s house by the military on September 10, 2017.
Delivering judgment Wednesday, January 19, the presiding judge, Justice Benson Anya, described the invasion as unlawful and an infringement on his fundamental human rights.
Anya also ruled that Kanu’s arrest and forceful return to Nigeria in June 2021 was “illegal” under local and international laws.
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The court also recommended a political solution to the agitation for the restoration of the defunct Biafra Republic championed by IPOB.
Federal High Court adjourns Kanu’s case
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, adjourned further proceedings in the case against the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, till Wednesday
The adjournment followed Kanu’s complain that the Federal Government failed to promptly serve him the fresh 15-count amended charge it brought before the court.
Kanu, through is team of lawyers led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, further accused FG of denying him the necessary facility to defend the charge against him.
Ozekhome, SAN, told the court that the amended charge was served on them, barely 24 hours to the scheduled hearing.
“My lord, the proposed amended charge was served on us yesterday evening. As I speak to you my lord, the Defendant who was just brought in, has not even seen the charge which he is being told to enter his plea.
“With due respect, that is not Justice. It is ambushing. I know that the Administration if Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, allows them to amend, but this is the 6th amendment they are making, and each time they do it, they serve us a day to the hearing, just to frustrate the trial”, Ozekhome added.
On his part, the Prosecution team, led by Mr. Mohammed Labaran from the Federal Ministry of Justice, said he was not opposed to the court granting a short adjournment to enable the defence lawyers to study the charge.
Meanwhile, before adjourning the case till Wednesday, trial Justice Binta Nyako, ordered the Department of State Services, DSS, to allow Kanu to have a change of cloth.
“I don’t want to see him in this cloth again. This one is almost off-white. Also make sure that you allow him to exercise”, Justice Nyako added.
