The Department of State Security (DSS) has relented and granted Nnamdi Kanu access to his legal team, marking a significant development after a prolonged legal struggle......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
According to recent media reports, Adeola Ajayi, the Director-General of the DSS, has allowed Kanu’s lawyers to visit the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This move comes after mounting pressure and ongoing legal challenges surrounding Kanu’s rights to counsel.
Since his controversial repatriation from Kenya in June 2021, Kanu has been in detention, facing charges of terrorism. However, he has experienced significant difficulties in accessing legal representation, a situation that has triggered repeated protests and legal actions from his defense team. Kanu’s legal representatives, led by prominent counsel Aloy Ejimakor, have long claimed that the DSS has been obstructing their ability to meet with him, despite a court order from May 2023 issued by Justice Binta Nyako. The order stipulated that the DSS must grant access to Kanu’s legal team three times a week.
The ongoing denial of access led the court to summon Ajayi in October, warning that he could face imprisonment if these restrictions persisted. This intense legal standoff, compounded by protests from Kanu’s supporters, resulted in mounting pressure on the DSS.
The breakthrough in the case came after recent interventions from key political figures. House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, alongside Abia State Representative Obi Aguocha, visited Kanu in detention. They played a crucial role in facilitating a resolution to the dispute over legal access, with Ejimakor describing the development as a “political compromise.”
On Monday, Ejimakor took to social media to announce that the legal team’s meeting with Kanu, which took place on that day, was the first successful visit since September 27. The visit, which also included Ndidi Awurum, a U.S.-based Nigerian, was conducted under the direct approval of the DSS Director-General. This development represents a significant victory for Kanu’s legal team and highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding his detention.