Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to detained leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has again been denied access to Nnamdi Kanu by Nigeria’s Department of State Security Services (DSS).
Mr Ejiofor in a post on Thursday in a post on Twitter said the DSS had insisted that the request to visit Kanu “would be looked into and accordingly approved by their DG before we could be granted access to him.”
The Nigerian secret police’s refusal to grant access to the IPOB leader comes two days after Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja ordered that the detention authority – which in this instance refers to the DSS – allow access to Kanu.
“Upon our arrival in their office today being the 29th day of July 2021, conspicuously armed with the court order under reference, the officials of the DSS, though admitted being aware of the said order but directed us to come up with a formal application stating the names of persons who are visiting, which request was promptly complied with,” Mr Ejiofor said in his post.
He continued, “while we awaited to be admitted for the visit, the officials of the DSS unfortunately came back to inform us that we should go and await further communication from them pending the approval of our request.
“I am not suprised by the conduct of the DSS who has the history of disobedience to court orders, but I am worried because, we do not know the present state of health of our client. I cannot categorically confirm to the world the present state of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as at today.
“It is to be pointed out that our client is presently detained in DSS facility pursuant to an order of court, and another order made by the same court directing our access to our client on specified days, is unfortunately being flouted by the officials of the State Security Services, as they have no reason or justification of any kind to refuse us access.
“We will formally communicate the Court first thing tomorrow morning on this unfortunate and strange development, and shall keep the world updated.”
Counsel to the separatist leader noted further that “should anything untoward happen to our client, the Nigerian Government and the Department of State Security Services should be held responsible.
“Let the World and all responsible Foreign Government take Notice of this dangerous trend.”
By Abel Ejikeme
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