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Justice Ekwo’s Absence Stalls Nnamdi Kanu’s ₦50 Billion Lawsuit

Nnamdi Kanu Drops Lawyers, Opts For Self-Defense As Trial Resumes

The hearing of a ₦50 billion lawsuit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the Federal Government was postponed on Monday due to the absence of Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Justice Ekwo was reportedly attending to official duties in another court division. The case has been rescheduled for February 11, 2025.

Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, recently took over the case from Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, who initiated the suit in April 2022.

The lawsuit challenges the legality of Kanu’s alleged abduction in Kenya and extraordinary rendition to Nigeria. Kanu argues that his rights under Nigerian and international laws, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Nigeria’s Extradition Act, were violated.

He is seeking 11 reliefs, including his immediate release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and an order restraining further prosecution on terrorism charges. Additionally, Kanu demands ₦100 million as the cost of the action.

The Federal Government, however, filed a preliminary objection in June 2022, urging the court to dismiss the suit, claiming it is a duplicate of another case filed in Umuahia.

They argued that this redundancy undermines the court’s jurisdiction.

Nnamdi Kanu’s ₦50 Billion Lawsuit

This lawsuit adds to the ongoing legal and political debates surrounding Kanu’s detention and trial on charges of terrorism and treasonable felony, which his legal team contends are unlawful given the circumstances of his rendition.

The case highlights broader questions about the enforcement of human rights and adherence to international legal norms in Nigeria.