Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has filed two lawsuits against the Nigerian government, alleging violations of his constitutional rights.
He claims he has been denied a fair hearing, a fair trial, and the right to be tried within a reasonable time.
Through his legal team led by Special Counsel Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu is asking the court to ensure that his trial follows constitutional provisions. He is also demanding that his case be transferred to the South-East, arguing that it was wrongly filed in Abuja instead of his home region.
In the first lawsuit, filed under Suit Number CV/875/25, Kanu is requesting his unconditional release from detention and the ongoing trial under Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015. His lawyers argue that detaining him for nearly four years without a proper trial violates his constitutional rights under Section 36(1) & (4) of the Nigerian Constitution. Kanu is also demanding a formal apology from the Nigerian government for the alleged violation of his rights, to be published in three national newspapers. Additionally, he is seeking N100 billion in compensation for the physical, mental, and emotional distress caused by his prolonged detention and legal proceedings.
In the second lawsuit, numbered M/3224/2025, Kanu is seeking a writ of mandamus compelling the authorities to follow due process in his trial, including the formal transfer of his case to the South-East. His legal team argues that his continued trial in Abuja is part of a pattern of constitutional breaches that have taken place since Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako recused herself from the case on September 24, 2024. They claim that instead of assigning the case to a new judge, the authorities returned it to the same judge who had stepped aside. They also accuse the government of deliberately delaying the trial and ignoring requests to move the case to the South-East.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Kanu’s lawyer, Ejimakor, insisted that his client would not remain silent while these injustices persist. He stated that the Nigerian government’s actions amount to a grave miscarriage of justice, arguing that keeping Kanu in detention for almost four years without a fair trial is a violation of his fundamental rights.
