Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is demanding
N20 billion compensation from the Federal Govrrnment for his arrest and eight days of “false imprisonment” in Kenya in July 2021.
He has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since he was brought back from Kenya.
Kanu approached the Court in Umuahia, Abia State through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor.
In the suit, the IPOB leader prayed the court to declear that his arrest and imprisonment in Nairobi, Kenya amounted to false arrest and false imprisonment.
He wants the court to hold that the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar acted in bad faith and/or abused his public office in falsely imprisoning him.
The IPOB leader urged the court to direct the defendant to pay him N20 billion, being general and exemplary damages.
The defendant also demanded an apology from Abubakar, to be published in two national newspapers.
Ejimakor said the suit was filed following the discovery of evidence that “implicated Abubakar beyond the infamous extraordinary rendition prompted the legal action.”
“This is the first extraordinary rendition suit against the Director-General of the NIA, Ahmed Abubakar, either in his personal or official capacity after new evidence implicated him in the false arrest and imprisonment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” he said.
Kanu was re-arraigned on January 19 before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged offences under the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act.
The Court of Appeal had dismissed the criminal proceedings on the basis that Kanu’s transfer from Kenya constituted “a clear and egregious violation” of applicable international and domestic law.
The Federal Government has appealed the judgment, as well as others in favour of Kanu.
