The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned a suit by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, against the Federal Government until April 22, 2024.
Kanu in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/462/2022 accused the FG of kidnapping him from Kenya and bringing him to Nigeria for trial.
He also wants an order for his release from the Department of State’s custody.
Kanu asked the court to order the Federal Government to pay him N50 billion as damages.
Other reliefs sought by him include, “whether by the operation of Section 15 of the Extradition Act Cap E25, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, the plaintiff can be competently/legally tried for offences stated in counts 1 to 14 of the 15-count amended charge in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“Whether the way and manner in which the plaintiff was abducted in Kenya and extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria is consistent with extant laws.
“Particularly, he cited “the provisions of Article 12 (4) of the African Charter on human and peoples rights (ratification and enforcement) Act Cap A9 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Article/Part 5 (a) of the African Charter’s principles and guidelines on human and peoples’ rights while countering terrorism in Africa.”
However, in the preliminary objection filed by the Federal Government and Attorney-General of the Federation, they described the suit as an abuse of the court process, urging the court to dismiss its process.
The defendants held that Kanu had filed an earlier suit with similar facts before a Federal High Court in Umuahia.
At the proceedings on Monday, Aloy Ejimakor informed the court he had taken over the case from Prof. Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, directed the Ejimakor to find out if a similar matter was not before a sister court or if a judgment had been delivered in a similar suit.
The judge ordered that a hearing notice be issued and served on the defendants who were absent at the proceedings on Monday.
