In a shocking turn of events, the Special Counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has expressed deep concern over his client’s continued isolation.
Mr. Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s lawyer, revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has completely blocked his legal team from accessing Kanu, leaving them uncertain about when they will be allowed to see him again.
On Friday, Ejimakor attempted to visit Kanu at the DSS headquarters in Abuja, but the legal team was denied access.
This denial came just a day after Justice Binta Nyako, the judge presiding over Kanu’s trial, removed herself from the case. Justice Nyako had been handling Kanu’s trial since July 2021, following his controversial arrest and extradition from Kenya.
In a statement released to the public, Ejimakor expressed his frustration with the DSS for what he termed a violation of court orders. He also alleged that the DSS had cut off all future visitations to Kanu as a form of retaliation against him.
“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,” the statement read.
The timing of the DSS’s decision to block access to Kanu comes on the heels of a significant development in his case.
Justice Binta Nyako, who has been overseeing Kanu’s trial since he was extradited to Nigeria, recused herself from the case.
Her decision to step down has raised many questions, with some speculating that the judge might have felt pressured or embarrassed by Kanu’s legal tactics. Ejimakor suggested that the DSS’s actions were a form of retaliation, stating that they were punishing Kanu for “chasing away” the judge.
It is unclear why Justice Nyako made this move, but her withdrawal has undoubtedly added another layer of uncertainty to the already complex legal battle between Kanu and the Nigerian government.
Kanu has been in detention since June 2021, following his arrest in Kenya and subsequent extradition to Nigeria.
His extraordinary rendition, as his legal team describes it, was highly controversial and condemned by human rights organizations both locally and internationally. The IPOB leader has faced various charges, including treason, terrorism, and incitement to violence, but his supporters claim that he is being persecuted for his activism and calls for an independent Biafran state.
Since his arrest, Kanu’s legal team has repeatedly accused the Nigerian government of violating his rights. They argue that his detention is illegal and that he should have been released following court rulings in his favor.
Ejimakor has been at the forefront of this legal struggle, fighting to secure Kanu’s release and ensure he gets a fair trial. But with the latest blockade by the DSS, the lawyer fears that his client’s situation has taken a more dangerous turn.
“I don’t know when next, if ever, it may be possible to see Mazi Nnamdi Kanu again,” Ejimakor said, expressing grave concern about his client’s condition in solitary confinement.
Following Justice Nyako’s withdrawal from the case, Kanu’s lawyers are preparing to take their battle to the appellate court. They hope that the higher court will provide a fairer and more transparent judicial process.
Kanu has consistently maintained his innocence and has argued that his extradition from Kenya was illegal. He has also insisted that the Nigerian government is violating his human rights by keeping him in detention for so long without a fair trial.
The IPOB leader’s case has drawn attention from various international bodies and human rights groups, who have called on the Nigerian government to respect the rule of law and release him from detention.
The DSS has long been accused of violating the rights of detainees, and Kanu’s case is no exception.
His legal team claims that Kanu has been subjected to harsh conditions in detention, including being held in solitary confinement for extended periods.
Human rights organizations have raised concerns about the conditions in Nigerian prisons and detention centers, with reports of torture, lack of medical care, and poor living conditions being commonplace.
For Kanu, the latest denial of legal access adds to a growing list of alleged abuses. His lawyers argue that by denying him access to his legal team, the DSS is violating both national and international laws on fair trial rights.
“The DSS, acting on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, has unlawfully isolated Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from his lawyers, thus making his solitary confinement absolute,” Ejimakor lamented.
