Nnamdi Kanu, the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been guaranteed a payment of N1 billion in damages, as a high court in Abia State, condemned the military attack on his father’s residence in 2017.
In a ruling on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, the court maintained that while the N1 billion would be paid, the federal government should issue a letter of apology to the secessionist, and facilitate a political solution to his course.
Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s lawyer, who disclosed this development in a series of tweets, stated that the court was presided over by Justice Benson Anya.
The tweets read: “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu WINS as Abia High Court rules that the Federal Government violated his fundamental rights. Orders the Federal government to pay N1b to him and issue a letter of apology to him.
“Most importantly, the Court recommended political solution to the #Biafran agitation.”
Following a raid on his father’s residence on September 10, 2017 by men of the Nigerian Army, Kanu had approached the court for compensation and redress.
Meanwhile, the IPOB leader had pleaded not guilty to the fresh amended 15-count charge of treasonable felony filed against him by the Federal Government.
Kanu, who was brought into the courtroom in the early hours of Wednesday, said he was innocent of all the allegations levelled against him.
Amongst other things, the secessionist complained from the dock that some counts in the amended charge were similar.
His lead counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), therefore told a Federal High Court in Abuja that he had filed a 43-paged preliminary objection for the charge to be quashed and struck out without the matter proceeding to trial.
“We are further asking that the defendant should be discharged and acquitted as there is nothing in this charge. It has no basis at all.
“We also have a motion requesting the court to grant bail to the defendant,” he added.
