The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, filed a suit against the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, the Department of State Services and six others, demanding the payment of N5bn in damages as monetary compensation for the “physical, mental, emotional, psychological and other damages” suffered as a result of the alleged infringements of his fundamental rights.
Kanu filed the suit on Tuesday at the High Court of Abia State, where he hails from, through his special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor.
Kanu has been in the custody of the DSS following his re-arrest by the Federal Government in July. He was arrested in Kenya, and repatriated to Nigeria. Kanu had earlier jumped bail and escaped from Nigeria.
Kanu also secured an order from the High Court of Abia State to serve by substituted means an application for enforcement of his fundamental rights.
According to him, his rights have been infringed upon since 2017 when he fled the country, alleging that his life was being threatened.
Respondents to the suit, with no HIH/FR14/2021, are the Federal Government of Nigeria (1st), Attorney General of the Federation (2nd), Chief of Army Staff (3rd), Inspector General of Police (5th), Director General, State Security Services (7th) and three others.
“A declaration that the expulsion of the Applicant from Kenya to Nigeria by the Respondents or their agents and their consequent detention and planned prosecution of the Applicant in Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 (Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Nnamdi Kanu) is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amount to infringement of the Applicant’s fundamental right against unlawful expulsion and detention, and to fair hearing, as enshrined and guaranteed under the pertinent provisions of CFRN and the Charter).
“An order restraining the Respondents or their agents from taking any further step in the prosecution of the Applicant in Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 (Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Nnamdi Kanu) pursuant to said unlawful expulsion of the Applicant from Kenya to Nigeria.
“An order mandating and compelling the Respondents or their agents to forthwith release the Applicant from detention and restitute or otherwise restore Applicant to his liberty, same being his state of being as of 19th June, 2021; and to thereupon repatriate the Applicant to his country of domicile (to wit: Britain) to await the outcome of any formal request the Respondents may file before the competent authorities in Britain for the lawful extradition of the Applicant to Nigeria to continue his prosecution in Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 (Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Nnamdi Kanu).
“An order mandating and compelling the Respondents to issue an official Letter of Apology to the Applicant for the infringement of his fundamental rights; and publication of said Letter of Apology in three (3) national dailies.
“An order mandating and compelling the Respondents to pay the sum of N5,000,000,000.00 (Five Billion Naira) to the Applicant, being monetary damages claimed by the Applicant against the Respondents jointly and severally for the physical, mental, emotional, psychological and other damages suffered by the Applicant as a result of the infringements of Applicant’s fundamental rights.”
