By Adadareporters
Nnamdi Kanu’s lead counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, Monday, began the process of charging the State Services with contempt of court after the secret security agency refused to release Kanu’s medical records.
Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, is being detained at the custody of the State Services since 2021 after he was renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria. He was charged with running a proscribed group, jumping bail and treason.
The latest development was contained in a Facebook post by the lead counsel for the IPOB, Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor.
Ejiofor wrote, “We visited Kanu, today, the 28th day of August 2023, to brief him on the various intervening actions taken by the legal team ably led by Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to address pertinent concerns affecting his welfare and failure of the SSS to avail him of his medical records.
“To this end, an application has been made to the Honourable Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory by Ozekhome to appoint a magistrate that will visit and inspect the SSS facility/cell where Kanu has been held in solitary confinement since June 2021 till date, in pursuance to the relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
“Following the SSS’ refusal to avail Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu with his medical records, as directed by Hon. Justice Binta Nyako, in the judgment delivered on the 20th day of July 2023, our lead counsel, Prof. Ozekhome, SAN, was compelled by this brazen disregard to an order of court by the SSS to initiate a contempt proceeding against the State Security Service (SSS) and her director general for this gross violation of positive Orders of Court.
“Kanu used the opportunity offered by the visit to extend his heartfelt gratitude to all people of good conscience and groups calling for his release. He, however, observed that many people may not have understood the peculiarity of his case, but proceeded to urge us to clarify that he has been effectively and validly discharged by the judgment of the Court of Appeal, delivered on the 13th day of October 2022, which said judgment also prohibited his further trial and detention. Therefore, there is no charge pending against Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu before any Court as of today.
“Kanu unequivocally stated that begging the Federal Government to release him at this point is an insult to the memory of the late Pa Mbazulike Amaechi, who despite his age and ill health, repeatedly travelled from the South-East to Abuja, begging the Federal Government of Nigeria to honour his dying wish, which request was treated with greatest disdain by the Federal Government, and was also not honoured.
“Kanu is of the firm view that he does not need to beg the FGN to release him. The Court of Appeal has already made a pronouncement in that regard and that pronouncement has remained sacrosanct till date.
“Therefore, the call every person of goodwill should make in the circumstance of his continued illegal detention is for the Supreme Court to set down a date for the expeditious hearing of the appeal filed by the Federal Government as provided for in the Criminal Appeals Practice Directions of the Supreme Court.”
