The legal representatives of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), raised serious concerns on Friday regarding the Department of State Services (DSS) denying them access to their client in Abuja.
Led by Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s special lawyer, the team accused the DSS of violating both court orders and the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. They reported that their attempts to meet with Kanu at the DSS facility were blocked.
In a statement issued on behalf of the legal team, Ejimakor stated, “Today, contrary to existing court orders and constitutional provisions, the DSS prevented the legal team of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from meeting him at the detention facility.”
He added, “All four of us arrived at the DSS premises to discuss the court proceedings from the 24th and the next steps in his case. However, we have been denied access. We arrived just before 2 PM, and as of nearly 5 PM, we still have not been allowed to see him. We have our suspicions.”
Ejimakor suggested that the DSS and the federal government may be displeased with Kanu’s request for the judge overseeing his case to withdraw. “If not for this reason, what else could explain this unconstitutional behavior of blocking lawyers from meeting with their client during a trial?” he questioned.
He emphasized the importance of bringing this situation to public attention, stating that such actions only complicate Kanu’s trial and contribute to his loss of confidence in the judicial process. This frustration reportedly led Kanu to request the judge’s withdrawal on September 24.
“It appears that the DSS has suspended all future visitations to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as retaliation for his request to remove Justice Binta Nyako from the case,” Ejimakor claimed.
He further stated, “This means the DSS, acting on behalf of the federal government, has unlawfully isolated Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from his legal counsel, effectively enforcing absolute solitary confinement.”
“I cannot say when, or if, we will be able to see Mazi Nnamdi Kanu again,” he concluded.
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