Mr. Aloy Ejimakor, the Special Counsel to the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has expressed deep concern over his inability to access his client, who is currently incarcerated at the Abuja headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Ejimakor’s comments came on Friday evening following an incident where Kanu’s legal team attempted to visit him but was reportedly denied entry by DSS operatives.
This situation arises just a day after Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja High Court recused herself from Kanu’s trial, a case she has presided over since July 2021 when Kanu was extradited from Kenya.
In a statement issued on behalf of the entire legal team, Kanu’s lead lawyer accused the DSS of violating existing court orders concerning Kanu’s access to his legal representatives. The statement read:
“Today, in violation of subsisting court orders and the Constitution, the DSS blocked the Legal Team of MAZI NNAMDI KANU from meeting with him at the detention facility. It appears that the DSS has cancelled all future visitations to #MNK as a retaliation against #MNK for chasing away Justice Binta Nyako from the case and causing her embarrassment.”
Ejimakor emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that the DSS, acting on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, has unlawfully isolated Kanu from his lawyers, effectively rendering his solitary confinement absolute.
He lamented, “I don’t know when next, if ever, it may be possible to see #MNK again.”
The ongoing developments raise significant concerns regarding the treatment of Kanu and the adherence to legal protocols surrounding his detention, as calls for his right to legal representation intensify.