The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 20th for the adoption of processes in the ongoing suit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the Department of State Services (DSS).
Justice Binta Nyako was absent from the court hearing due to official duties, and the court registrar set the new date. On May 3rd, the judge warned lawyers representing the DSS and Kanu against disrupting the proceedings on the next adjourned date.
Kanu, through his team of lawyers, sued the DSS and its Director-General as the first and second respondents. In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2341/2022, he asked the court to grant him permission to apply for an order of mandamus, compelling the DSS to allow him unhindered access to his medical doctor, among other things.
Earlier this year, on February 1st, the court granted Kanu the permission to apply for an order of mandamus after an ex-parte motion by his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome. In response, the DSS filed a preliminary objection, urging the court to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction.
The DSS argued that the case was identical to an earlier one, and that there was a subsisting judgment in a sister court delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on June 3, 2022, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1585/2021 between Kanu and the DG of DSS, in which the court dealt mainly with the issue of allowing the IPOB leader access to his personal physician. Kanu has appealed the ruling.
The case continues to unfold, and all eyes are on the court as the adoption of processes is expected to start on June 20th.
