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Federal High Court Strikes Out Nnamdi Kanu’s N50 Billion Suit Against FG
By Gideon Ayeni
A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a N50 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the Federal Government.
The case was dismissed on Thursday, April 10, 2025, due to a lack of diligent prosecution.
Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the ruling after noting the repeated failure of both Kanu and the Federal Government to appear before the court for the hearing. The judge stated that the matter had been adjourned multiple times at the request of Kanu’s legal team, but neither side was represented during the latest sitting.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/462/2022, was originally filed in April 2022 by Kanu’s then-lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN). The case was later taken over by Aloy Ejimakor, who informed the court of the change in legal representation.
Kanu had approached the court seeking a declaration that his extradition from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 was illegal and violated both domestic and international laws. He argued that he was abducted without due process and brought to Nigeria in a manner inconsistent with the country’s Extradition Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
As part of his prayers, the IPOB leader asked the court to declare his ongoing trial invalid, order his immediate release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), and award him N50 billion in damages for the alleged breach of his fundamental rights. He also demanded N100 million as the cost of prosecuting the suit.
However, the Federal Government countered the suit, arguing that it was an abuse of court process. Government lawyers pointed out that a similar case involving the same parties and issues was already pending before the Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State.
Justice Ekwo, in his ruling, acknowledged the Federal Government’s position and emphasized that no progress could be made in the case without active participation from the parties involved. With both sides absent yet again, the court had no choice but to strike out the matter.
The dismissal represents another setback in Kanu’s long-running legal battle challenging the circumstances of his return to Nigeria and subsequent prosecution. It remains unclear if his legal team will seek to refile the suit or focus on other ongoing cases.
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