Drama Looms As Lawyer Sues DSS, Chief Judge For Barring Journalists During Nnamdi Kanu's Trial

Nnamdi Kanu's trial

Tope Temokun, a human rights lawyer, has filed a lawsuit against the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Inspector-General of Police, as well as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.

He is suing them for their roles in restricting journalists from covering the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The plaintiff filed the suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the same court Kanu is being prosecuted on charges of treasonable felony and terrorism.

The charges, according to the prosecution, arose from Kanu’s separatist agitations for a Republic of Biafra constituted by Igbo-dominated South-eastern part of Nigeria.

According to Premium Times, Temokun cited in his suit, which he said was instituted in defence of press freedom, how only a handful of journalists were accredited, on July 23, to cover the July 26 proceedings in Kanu’s trial while many unaccredited ones were barred from accessing the courtroom.

Since Kanu’s first court appearance in June after he fled the country in September 2017, the court management and security operatives have been restricting media coverage of the case that attracts local and international interests.

Temokun noted in his suit that the circular dated July 23, 2021 titled ‘MEDIA ACCREDITATION FOR NNAMDI KANU’S TRIAL’ which allowed some selected journalists to enter the court’s premises and denied others not selected entry amounts to “a breach of the rights to freedoms of expression and the press guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights."

He also argued that, “the act of the officers and/or operatives” of the SSS and the police of cordoning off or barricading the access routes to the entrances of the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 26 and allowed journalists whose names were contained in the July 23 circular amounts a breach of the right to freedom from discrimination.

In a ridiculous repeat of the media restrictions, SSS operatives, complemented by the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army, on Thursday, barricaded adjoining streets to the Federal High Court in Abuja, the venue of the trial, turning journalists and lawyers away from the surroundings of the court premises.

Announcing the suit which he filed on October 18 in a statement on Friday, Temokun said the indiscriminate harassment and assault of journalists and lawyers was a violation of their constitutionally guaranteed rights.

“Denying journalists access to the courts is an indictment on any democracy because in true democracy, press freedom comes first,” Temokun said.

The lawyer said it had become necessary to challenge “this new regime of repression enjoying judicial support."

“I have resolved to challenge this circular and have filed an action in the Federal High Court Abuja today in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2021, subjecting the legality of this repressive document to scrutiny,” Temokun said.

The barrister added that security agencies had relied on the journalists’ accreditation circular that was issued by the Federal High Court, to molest and threaten journalists and members of the public, including Omoyele Sowore, human rights’ activist.

Temokun implored the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants or through their representatives, agents or privies, or anybody or anyone acting under the authority of the defendants from giving any or further effect to the circular.

Temokun also urged the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction restraining security operatives of the DSS and the police “from further restricting and/or preventing media houses and journalists from entering court’s premises” based on a circular.

The Director-General of the DSS the Inspector-General of Police, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and the court’s information officer who signed the accreditation circular, Catherine Christopher, are listed as respondents.