Court orders FG, S’East govs to apologise, pay Kanu N8bn for rights violations

A High Court sitting in Enugu has on Thursday asked the Nigeria Federal Government and South-East Governors to pay the sum of N8,000,000,000.00 (Eight Billion Naira) to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The court also mandated the respondents to apologise to Kanu for the infringement of his fundamental rights.

“Ordered the Respondents, jointly or severally, to issue official Letter(s) of Apology to the Applicant (MAZI NNAMDI KANU) for the infringement of his said fundamental rights; and publication of said Letter(s) of Apology in three (3) national dailies.

“Ordered the Respondents to, jointly or severally, pay the sum of N8,000,000,000.00 (Eight Billion Naira) to the Applicant (MAZI NNAMDI KANU), being monetary damages claimed by the Applicant against the Respondents jointly and severally for the physical, mental, emotional, psychological, property and other damages suffered by the Applicant as a result of the infringements of his fundamental rights by the Respondents”, Justice A. O Onovo, said.

Similarly, the court declared as unconstitutional, the proscription and designation of IPOB as a terrorist organization by the Federal Government and the South East Governors.

The ruling was a sequel to a suit brought before the court by the IPOB legal team led by Aloy Ejimakor, challenging the 2017 proscription of IPOB as a terror organisation.

Justice A. O Onovo, while delivering judgment on the suit marked E/20/2023, declared that “the practical application of the Terrorism Prevention Act and the executive or administrative action of the Respondents (Southeast Governors Forum and the Federal Government) which directly led to the proscription of IPOB and its listing as a terrorist group”, was unconstitutional.

The Court according to a release by Ejimakor further held that “IPOB being comprised of citizens of Nigeria of the Igbo and other Eastern Nigerian ethnic groups, professing the political opinion of self-determination and the consequent arrest, detention and prosecution of the Applicant (MAZI NNAMDI KANU) as a member/leader of said IPOB is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amounts to infringement of the Applicant’s fundamental right not to be subjected to any disabilities or restrictions based on his ethnicity as enshrined and guaranteed under Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and his fundamental rights as enshrined under Articles 2,3,19 &20 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Enforcement and Ratification) Act.”

The release made available to Vanguard further read: “Today, I led a team of lawyers to a landmark victory before the High Court of Enugu State in SUIT NO: E/20/2023 filed in January 2023 against the Southeast Governors’ Forum and the FG (Respondents) for their collective executive actions (in 2017) that led to the proscription of IPOB and declaring it a terrorist group in contravention of Section 42 of the Constitution which prohibits discrimination based on ethnicity.

“In a well-considered judgment that lasted for over three hours, the High Court (coram Justice A.O. Onovo) granted the following Reliefs: ‘that self-determination is not a crime and thus cannot be used as a basis to arrest, detain and prosecute the Applicant, MAZI NNAMDI KANU.

longetivity:
Mtcheew

JOemmy:
So federal govt gazzet of the proscription is not binding in nigeria's laws?

longetivity:
Mtcheew

chiagozien:
Why are those happy about supreme court judgement on tinubu's case now so angry about this judgement.






Anyway God bless Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and all lovers of Freedom.

chiagozien:
Why are those happy about supreme court judgement on tinubu's case now so angry about this judgement.






Anyway God bless Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and all lovers of Freedom.

mrvitalis:

I hope you can read... The reason for prescription must be valid

There is a reason appeal court has not sat on the matter because they know it won't stand

Macphenson:
Its not South east governors that proscribed IPOB, its the Federal Government after the "Python Dance".

JOemmy:



It's alright I thought federal govt gazettes is a law on its own that can't be overruled by any court.

Yujin:
May Chukwu Okike Abiama bless IPOB and our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Iseeé

chiagozien:

FreeStuffsNG:

Enugu State High Court. Smh.

Dey play. It reminds me of that funny judgement Malami, SAN got from one court in Abia or so that was eventually thrown out.

That judgement is like a minute of an ummuna meeting. It will be appropriately translated into English language and thrown out at a Federal Court.

This is a serious case about national security, any state high court pronouncement will not stand. Check my signature for free stuffs!

chiagozien:
BREAKING!!! Court Declares IPOB Proscription Illegal, Awards N8b Damages To Nnamdi Kanu.


The Enugu State High Court, Thursday, ruled that the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, by the Southeast Governors’ Forum in 2017 amounted to administrative abuse, hence null and void.

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader, had approached the court to seek the voidance of the prescription based on the fact that IPOB is a registered organisation, and composed of members who are exercising their right of association.



The suit was instituted by Kanu’s special counsel, Barr Aloy Ejimakor.

Among the reliefs sought are the de-listment of IPOB as a terrorist organisation in line with the provisions of the African Charter and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Other reliefs sought by Kanu include a declaration that self-determination is a right, public apologies in three national dailies and N25 billion damages, as well as restraining the government from proceeding with criminal proceedings against him.


Justice A.O. Onovo, while delivering the judgement, agreed with the applicant that the African Charter binds on Nigerian courts, hence self-determination is not a crime.

On monetary damages, the court granted N8.billion in damages to Kanu. It however declined jurisdiction in stopping the criminal trial of Kanu on grounds that it is before the Supreme Court.

Ejimakor commended the court for being the last hope of the coming man. In his words, “We are grateful that justice has prevailed over this matter since 2017.

“The court has reaffirmed the hopes of the common man in the judiciary. You have saved thousands of lives.”



https://igberetvnews.com/1455955/breaking-court-declares-ipob-proscription-illegal-awards-n8b-damages-nnamdi-kanu/#forward

chiagozien:
I know this can't make frontpage because nairaland is home for propaganda against Igbos and ipob.




Had it been the the judgement was against Ipob,by now it's already in front page.