The leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Maxi Nnamdi Kanu will on 28 February, have another chance to make a case for his fundamental Human Rights.
An Abuja Federal High Court, presided by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on Monday, fixed the date to hear the suit on enforcement of his rights.
Justice Taiwo’s decision was reached on information by the counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Idowu Awo, who informed the court that his clients had a counter affidavit which had not been served on Kanu.
At the resumed hearing Awo prayed the court for more time to effect the service of the application on Kanu’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara.
Opara, however, described the request of the DSS lawyer as an attempt to continue to subject his client to solitary confinement and other inhuman treatments.
According to him, the counter affidavit by the DSS was already filed out of time.
He said even though the application was dated Jan. 28 and counsel to the DSS has his contact, it was not served on him until now.
The lawyer to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Simon Enock, also informed that he had filed a motion for an extension of time to regularise their counter affidavit.
He said the application was neither opposed to by counsel to the IPOB leader, Opara, nor the DSS lawyer.
Justice Taiwo, who pointed out that the matter was coming before him for the first time, fixed Feb. 28 for hearing.
Kanu, through his lawyer, Opara, had in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1585/2021, sued the Director-General of DSS and the office as 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.
He also joined the AGF as 3rd respondent in the suit dated and filed Dec. 13, 2021.
In the originating motion, Kanu lawyer prayed the court to declare that the respondents while carrying out their lawful duties should abide by the provisions of Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Africa Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act; as regards the rights of citizens of Nigeria.
Opara also asked the court to declare that Kanu, even though a detainee, was entitled to enjoy his freedom of thought, conscience and religion as guaranteed by the law.