Nnamdi Kanu’s Complaint Against Dss Dismissed By Court

A federal high court has dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement action filed by Nnamdi Kanu, head of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, against the Department of State Services.

Kanu had filed a lawsuit against the Director General of DSS, DSS, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as the first, second, and third respondents, respectively. He claimed that each of them had subjected him to various inhumane treatment, including denying him the right to wear any clothing of his choice, such as the traditional Igbo clothing known as “Isi-Agu,” while in their facility or any time he appeared in court for his trial.

He asserted that he was only allowed to wear one type of attire, in contrast to other DSS prisoners who were free to choose and wear any type of clothing.

Nnamdi Kanu requested an order instructing the respondents to permit him to wear any attire of his choice while in the facility or when appearing in public, among other reliefs, after accusing the DSS of torturing him and violating his right to dignity, among other things.

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However, the DSS refuted the claim and asked the court to reject Nnamdi Kanu’s requests for relief.

They claimed that while the IPOB leader was in their custody, he was never subjected to physical or psychological torture and added that he was kept in the same facility as other detainees.

The DSS, which refuted Nnamdi Kanu’s assertion that other suspects may wear whatever they wanted, stated that their facility is not a leisure centre or a traditional festival where Kanu and other suspects might adorn themselves in their various traditional attires. According to the organization, there is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in place regarding the dress code for people working in its facilities.

They accused Kanu’s family of sending traditional garb and other apparel with Biafra insignias, as well as a pair of red shoes studded with dazzling beads, for him to wear while in detention and to attend his trial. The DSS further stated that Kanu’s treason trial is being presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, who has ruled that he be permitted to wear any simple attire of his choice and that anything otherwise would be in violation of the court’s directive.

Kanu’s complaint was dismissed by Justice Omotosho, who presided over it, for lack of substance.

According to the evidence presented in court, Kanu’s case did not involve torture or forced labour because he was never mistreated while in detention. Omotosho further stated that the IPOB leader failed to give images and identities of convicts who were permitted to wear different clothing while in custody in order to substantiate his case.

Justice Omotosho called the IPOB leader’s charges “a hypothesis without concrete evidence,” adding that the right to dignity does not include the right to change clothing as a prison inmate.