Kanu Trial: Court Slams FG N1b Damages, Says Buhari Should Apologise

Justice Benson Anya of the Abia State High Court on Wednesday, ordered the Federal Government to pay the sum of N1 billion to the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The IPOB leader had through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor filed a suit praying the court to award N5 billion damages against the Federal Government over the alleged invasion of his father’s house on 10th September 2017 by military officers.

In his ruling, Justice Anya described the invasion of Kanu’s residence as notorious and unconstitutional.

The judge also granted the relief sought by Kanu’s legal team, ordering the Federal Government to issue a public apology in three national dailies over the illegal invasion of IPOB leader’s Afaraukwu residence.

During the proceedings, Ejimakor, had urged the court to determine if the invasion of Kanu’s country home by the federal security agencies did not amount to the violation of his fundamental human rights considering that Kanu’s bail was still subsisting then.

Agreeing with him, Justice Anya declared the invasion and attack as illegal.

Anya, while awarding the N1 billion cost, agreed that the rights of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) were violated by the action, which led to Kanu, escaping to Britain, where he is a citizen, and where he lived till his arrest, in June, 2021.

The judge also advised the Federal Government to adopt a political resolution in dealing with issues involving Kanu and IPOB.

The judge however, struck out other reliefs sought by the IPOB leader such as his repatriation from Kenya and continued detention by the DSS.