The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi
Kanu, has said that despite being granted bail by the Federal High Court
in Abuja where he is being prosecuted alongside others on charges of
treasonable felony, he is still entitled to the $800m compensation for
his alleged unlawful arrest and detention in 2015, Punch Newspaper reports.
This is contained in his response to the motion filed by the Federal
Government asking the Community Court of the Economic Community of West
African States sitting in Abuja to dismiss a fundamental human rights
enforcement suit filed by the IPOB leader, according to Punch.
Kanu had filed the suit on March 3, 2016 demanding $800m as
compensation from the Federal Government for his alleged unlawful arrest
in 2015 and detention.
But the Federal Government, through its lawyer, Mrs. Maimuna Shiru,
filed its motion on November 13, stating that Kanu having been granted
bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja on April 25, 2017, and allegedly
jumped bail, the judgment of the ECOWAS Court on the suit would serve
no purpose.
Punch quoted Kanu, through his lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, as
objecting to the Federal Government’s motion contending that granting
bail to the IPOB leader was just a partial satisfaction of prayers
sought in the suit.
He maintained that the ECOWAS Court had the power to grant his client
the $800m compensation sought since the IPOB leader’s rights had been
violated.
Ejiofor stated in his written address, “We submit therefore that
the court has powers to order for payment of compensatory damages when
found that the plaintiff’s right has been violated.”