DSS Blocks Access To Nnamdi Kanu

The Department of State Services (DSS) has drawn the ire of Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team after blocking access to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader. Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s lead counsel, expressed grave concerns over the DSS’s apparent disregard for court-ordered visitation rules, which have not been scheduled for hearing to date, raising suspicions of a possible cover-up.

Ejimakor highlighted the fact that the DSS had not allowed any visitors to see Kanu since his last court appearance on September 24, 2024, when he demanded Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako’s recusal from his case. The recusal was subsequently vacated by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, but the DSS’s actions since then have left Kanu’s legal team with a sense of unease.

These developments, according to Ejimakor, raise questions about the motivations behind the DSS’s decision to bar access to Kanu. The team’s concerns are compounded by the DSS’s history of non-compliance with court-ordered visitations, which has left them feeling that the security agency is operating with impunity.

The ramifications of the DSS’s actions extend beyond Kanu’s legal case and have broader implications for the rule of law in Nigeria.

Ejimakor’s assertion that “the DSS should know that one of the reasons for the court-ordered visitations is for Mazi Kanu’s relatives and lawyers to occasionally interact with him and have proof of his life and wellbeing” underscores the critical importance of transparency and accountability in the handling of high-profile cases such as Kanu’s.

As the DSS continues to block access to Kanu, the ominous question lingers in the minds of his legal team: “What is the DSS hiding? Is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu hale and hearty?”

The lack of access to Kanu has cast a dark shadow of suspicion over the DSS’s actions, stoking fears among his supporters that the security agency may be trying to conceal important information about his well-being.

In a country already beset by myriad challenges to the rule of law and political stability, the DSS’s actions in the Kanu case have only served to fuel further distrust in the government and its institutions.

The tension between the government and IPOB has been a longstanding flashpoint in Nigerian politics, and the ongoing saga of Kanu’s detention and trial has only added fuel to the fire. As the situation continues to evolve, one thing is clear: the path ahead is fraught with uncertainty and potential peril.

Referenece and Citations:

• TheNation – DSS blocked visitors access to Kanu, lawyers allege
• Dailypost – DSS still denies Nnamdi Kanu access to visitors, legal team – Ejimakor
• PremiumTimes – Nnamdi Kanu Lawyers again accuse SSS of denying them access to him