Aloy Ejimakor, the Special Counsel to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has expressed uncertainty over when he will next be allowed to visit his client. Kanu, currently held at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja, has been denied access to his legal team.
Ejimakor’s frustration was made public on Friday evening following an unsuccessful attempt by Kanu’s legal representatives to see him, as DSS operatives allegedly blocked the visit.
This incident follows closely after Justice Binta Nyako, who has been presiding over Kanu’s case at the Abuja High Court since his rendition from Kenya in July 2021, decided to recuse herself from the trial. The lead lawyer for Kanu’s legal team issued a statement accusing the DSS of disregarding court orders that permit regular visits to Kanu.
In a statement shared with *Vanguard*, Kanu’s legal team said: “Today, in violation of existing court orders and the Constitution, the DSS blocked Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s Legal Team from meeting with him at their detention facility.”
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The statement further suggested that the DSS may have cancelled future visits as retaliation, claiming it was linked to Kanu allegedly causing embarrassment to Justice Binta Nyako, leading to her withdrawal from the case.
According to Ejimakor, the latest DSS actions amount to unlawful isolation of Nnamdi Kanu from his legal counsel, intensifying his solitary confinement. Ejimakor stated, “It appears the DSS, acting on behalf of the Federal Government, has completely cut #MNK off from his legal representation. I don’t know when, or if, I’ll be able to meet with him again.”
Kanu’s legal team continues to criticize the actions of the DSS, which they say contradict existing judicial directives and further escalate the plight of their client. The denial of legal access raises questions about compliance with constitutional and human rights laws regarding detainees and their right to legal representation.
