The Federal High Court will today hear a motion filed by the Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking an order transferring him to the National Hospital in Abuja for urgent medical attention.
Justice Musa Liman had granted the motion ex parte, praying for the permission of the court to hear the application during the vacation period due to its urgency.
Justice Liman, who fixed today for the hearing, ordered Kanu’s lawyer, Uchenna Njoku (SAN), to serve all the processes and the hearing notice on the Department of State Services (DSS) so that the security agency could respond appropriately.
“I believe that the right to health is as important as the right to life.
“And so, I agree that this matter can be heard by the vacation court,” Justice Liman, who is also a vacation judge, had said.
Nnamdi Kanu in the ex parte motion, had sought the relief.
In the motion, dated September 2 but filed on September 3 by Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), Kanu sought an order “granting leave for the applicant’s motion dated 1st September, 2025 to be heard before the vacation judge”.
Giving an 11-ground argument why their request should be granted, Agabi said Kanu is currently standing trial before Justice James Omotosho.
He said Kanu, on May 19, filed an application praying the court to admit him to bail pending the hearing and determination of the terrorism charge.
The lawyer averred that the application could not be taken before the annual vacation of the court, hence his continued detention.
According to him, while awaiting the resumption of the court activities, the applicant’s health took a worrisome decline, necessitating the invitation of doctors to carry out an extensive examination on the applicant.
Agabi alleged that a letter by the doctors to the Director-General of the DSS, advising the transfer of Kanu, had gone unanswered.
He said the urgency of the matter had, therefore, necessitated the filing of the instant application as a measure to arrest further decline of his health, while spirited efforts are being expended to ensure his treatment.
The eminent lawyer added that the grant of the application would not occasion any injustice on the complainant (DSS).
