By Adadainfo
Dr Mike Ozekhome (SAN) is still the lead counsel to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, according to Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor.
Ejiofor, who led Kanu’s legal team until Ozekhome was engaged in 2021, was reacting to his and Ozekhome’s disengagement by the family of the IPOB leader earlier on Thursday.
Recall that Kanunta Kanu, on behalf of Kanu’s family, announced the sack of both Ejiofor and Ozekhome. He claimed that both lawyers had not allowed his detained brother access to his medical team.
Kanunta had tweeted that, “I hereby formally notify @Mikeozekhome, SAN, and @lfeanyiEjiofor that their services are no longer required in #MaziNnamdiKanu case pending before the Supreme court of Nigeria and all concerning him.
“After Mazi Nnamdi kanu’s case on 11th May 2023, Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has refused to see his client in DSS headquarters Abuja even after several messages from #MNK to see him.
“Secondly, for stopping the medical doctors who were to examine #MNK on 5th June even when he and Bar. lfeanyi Ejiofor were duly informed on 2nd of June and #MNK told them to inform his family to arrange that. For this obvious reasons and many more, Prof Mike Ozekhome SAN and Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor are hereby SACKED as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s counsels.
“The Kanu’s family do appreciate your time and efforts so far, please handover the legal documents asap.”
Ejiofor in a statement described the release from Kanu’s family as ‘defamatory, mischievous, fake, reprehensible, denigrating, insulting and unauthorized’.
His statement read, “In view of the desperate attempt of the enemies to break our rank, the legal team resolved to minimise the information that we make public through my regular updates. Therefore, you will not be receiving updates on our routine visits as regularly as it used to come, except when there is a compelling situation that demands it.
“Several visits to Onyendu, and particularly, the visit of June 3, 2023, was not publicised because of the nature of the matters discussed, but the relevant persons were duly briefed on the outcomes.
“Neither Kingsley Kanu nor Emmanuel Kanu had at any point in time briefed me to handle Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case or even IPOB’s matters. My letters of engagement issued to me since 2015 by Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB are still with me till date.
“Neither Kingsley Kanu nor anybody acting on his behalf engaged Mike Ozekhome to represent Onyendu in any matters affecting him. Biafrans and members of the public are aware that Onyendu specifically requested to see Mike Ozekhome upon his abduction and extraordinary rendition to Nigeria.
“During that meeting, which details are already in the public domain, Onyendu personally briefed Mike Ozekhome to head his legal team. Till date, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has done creditably and overwhelmingly well in deploying his advocacy skills in representing Onyendu in all courts in Nigeria.”
He said he visited Kanu at the DSS custody on Thursday, adding that they ‘discussed pertinent issues concerning his legal and health matters’, and that ‘there was no time during the meeting that Onyendu entertained or expressed any iota of doubt whatsoever on the ability of his legal team, ably led by Mike Ozekhome, to defend him’.
Quoting him, “Onyendu also proceeded to avail me with other important messages to be passed on to his lead counsel which assignments are expected to be conducted within the next 24 hours.”
He berated the action of Kanu’s brother in issuing the statement. In his words, “Kingsley Kanu in a bid to preempt any exposition I may make after today’s visit proceeded to make the ridiculous publication at exactly 1:57 pm Nigerian time, a few minutes before the scheduled visit of 2:00 pm. He need not have worried because out of respect and deference to Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, I do not intend to make any such exposition.
“Right from July 26, 2021, when an order was made by Hon. Justice Binta Nyako, directing the DSS to allow Onyendu access to his lawyers and relatives, upon prior submission of the names of those visiting Onyendu, my chambers has been exclusively submitting names of those visiting Onyendu and this process still subsists. The names are usually shared with Onyendu before clearance is given by the DSS for the visits to take place.
“I wish to state that Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu never dismissed, disengaged, neither has he expressed any intention of dismissing his legal team ably led by Prof Mike Ozekhome. Biafrans and indeed the members of the general public are respectively advised to ignore in its entirety, the obviously defamatory, mischievous, fake, reprehensible, denigrating, insulting and unauthorized public notice issued by Kingsley Kanu alias Kanunta Kanu, as it is not true.
“May the general public and indeed Biafrans, be properly guided that the simple reason for dishing out such condemnable falsehood is to ridicule and embarrass Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team.
“Kingsley Kanu should be assured that his evil strategies are dead on arrival. There is nothing whatsoever that will stop or deter Onyendu’s legal team who are tirelessly working day and night to ensure that Onyendu is released unconditionally.”
He said Kanu used the occasion of his visit to implore his faithful to ‘continue to abide by [their] peaceful conduct as you have consistently demonstrated’.
