The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Monday, adjourned a suit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the State Security Service (SSS) for the adoption of processes.
The matter, billed to be heard today, was adjourned till June 20 by the court registrar following the absence of Justice Binta Nyako in court.
Ms Nyako was said to have gone for an official assignment.
On May 3, the judge warned lawyers to the SSS and Mr Kanu against truncating proceedings in the next adjourned date.
Ms Nyako gave the warning following the day’s proceeding that could not go on due to an oral application by SSS counsel, Idowu Awo, seeking more time to respond to a further affidavit served on him by Mr Kanu’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, in the open court.
Mr Kanu, through his team of lawyers, had sued the SSS and its director general as the first and second respondents in the matter.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/ 2341/2022, Mr Kanu prayed the court for permission to apply for an order of mandamus to compel the SSS to allow him unhindered access to his medical doctor, among others.
On February 1, the court granted Mr Kanu the permission to apply for an order of mandamus he sought after an ex-parte motion moved by Mr Ozekhome to the effect.
But in a preliminary objection filed by the SSS, the security outfit urged the court to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction.
It argued that there was a subsisting judgement of a sister court delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on June 3, 2022, in suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1585/2021 between Mr Kanu and DG of SSS and two others wherein the court dealt substantially with the issue of allowing the IPOB leader access to his physician.
It said the instant suit was similar to the earlier one and that Kanu had filed an appeal against the judgement.
