DSS restricted Nnamdi Kanu from signing consular assistance letters

  

Aloy Ejimakor, a lawyer to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Monday, revealed details of how the Department of State Services, DSS, restricted the agitator from seeking assistance from the United Kingdom, UK.

Ejimakor had revealed that operatives of DSS were delaying Kanu from signing two forms seeking consular and diplomatic intervention from the UK.

The constitutional lawyer disclosed this in a statement he forwarded to DAILY POST entitled: “Summary of my visitation with our Client, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on Monday 19th July.”

He noted that the refusal of the secret police to sign the letters he took to them was an indication that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government was determined to isolate Kanu from gaining diplomatic assistance.

The statement reads: “Last Saturday when I visited Mazi Kanu, I expressed strong concerns about the inordinate delay in having Kanu sign the two Forms I had taken to the DSS for Kanu’s signature some days before.

“Both Forms relate to affirming his consent to consular and diplomatic interventions by the United Kingdom and her High Commission in Nigeria.

“Surprisingly, the Forms were returned to me unsigned.”

Ejimakor disclosed that operatives of the secret police were initially willing to allow Kanu sign the forms but later reneged and sent them to their legal unit.

According to Ejimakor, DSS legal department was responsible for the restriction.

“Let me make it clear that the day I took the Forms to the DSS, the officers on location were amenable to Kanu signing them until somewhere along the line, they tarried and decided to send it to the legal unit for vetting.

“So, my sense is that it’s the legal unit of the DSS that disapproved of Kanu signing the Forms for reasons that were not given to me.

“As a lawyer, I don’t see any legal advantage the government of Nigeria stands to gain by blocking Kanu from signing those Forms. The Forms are but a mere routine in matters like this.

“Instead of any advantage, the refusal will help fuel the notion that the government of Nigeria is deliberately isolating Kanu from having consular and diplomatic access to the United Kingdom.”

The lawyer urged the British government to intervene and immediately provide diplomatic assistance to the IPOB leader.

He said: “For these reasons, I am now compelled to call on the British High Commission in Nigeria to banish every red tape and exert the full weight of its diplomatic clout in gaining immediate access to Kanu. This is especially important, given the prospects of better welfare, including adequate medical care for Mazi Kanu.”

Kanu has been in secret police custody since he was rearrested and repatriated to Nigeria a few weeks ago.

It is widely believed that Kanu was nabbed in Kenya, though the Nigerian government has remained silent on it.

Upon his return, the Nigerian government had re-arraigned him before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The Justice Binta Nyako-led court had ordered Kanu to be remanded with the secret police, pending the continuation of his trial.

Kanu was first arrested and charged for treason in 2017. Justice Nyako had granted him bail but he failed to honour his trial afterwards.

The IPOB leader later fled the country to Europe.

However, Ejimakor had insisted that Kanu did not jump bail.