November 28, 2025
By Ayinde Adeleke
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has struck out an appeal filed by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, challenging alleged violations of his fundamental rights by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
A three-member panel of the appellate court delivered the ruling on Friday, declaring the appeal “without merit” and “academic” in light of Kanu’s recent conviction for terrorism.
The court held that Kanu’s complaints regarding his rights to human dignity, adequate medical care, and freedom of religion during his detention were no longer enforceable following his November 20 conviction and subsequent life imprisonment sentence issued by the Federal High Court.
In the lead judgment, Justice Boloukuromo Moses Ugo observed that the substance of the appeal collapsed when Kanu’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara, confirmed that his client had been transferred to Sokoto prison. The judge noted that since Kanu had already been moved to the facility he previously requested—Kuje prison—the reliefs sought had effectively been overtaken by events.
The appeal was filed against a July 3 ruling by then-Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, who dismissed Kanu’s fundamental rights enforcement suit for lack of proof.
Respondents in the case included the Director General of the DSS, the DSS, and the Attorney General of the Federation.
