Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has reacted to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s visit to his client.
ABACITYBLOG reported that the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu had visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is detained at the custody of the Department Of Security Service, DSS, since he was brought back from Kenya to Nigeria in June.
Senator Kalu, a former Abia State Governor said he had a good chat with Kanu in DSS Custody, adding that he met him in good health.
“I visited my brother, Maazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody, Abuja. I met him in good health and care and we discussed as ‘Umunne’. In 2001 when I was Governor, I made his father Eze Israel Okwu Kanu traditional ruler of Akwara Ukwu and since then the family has been very close to me”, the senator representing Abia North senatorial district wrote on his verified Facebook page.
He further noted that although his ideology might be different from Kanu’s own but he cautioned him to be civil and watch his utterances, especially as he has many people rooting for his release.
“I understand that Nnamdi has an insane amount of people rooting for his back home and I encouraged him to consider the consequences of certain actions and utterances for the sake of the same people.
“Even though, my ideology and his ideology are totally different, God has made us brothers and we can’t run away from each other. I owe him and Nigerians good counseling… Whether he and his family listens to me or not, I will continue counseling him as I have always done in the past. What we need most is a peaceful and secured society.
Reacting to Orji Kalu’s visit and his statement after visiting his client, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor said it’s worrisome that DSS threw caution to the wind by going against court orders which involves process in seeing his client.
Ejiofor stated that although, Senator Kalu’s name was included to the list of people that was scheduled to visit Kanu, but he was surprised why DSS allowed Kalu to visit his client without the presence of any of Kanu’s counsel.
The lawyer made the statement yesterday after his routine visit to his client, he said Kanu’s legal team is initiating legal steps to demand for an investigation into why the secret Police allowed a visitor to see their client in their absence.
Part of the statement reads: “We can at best describe what transpired yesterday between a visitor whom the detaining authority ostensibly aided to violate the court-ordered guideline for visiting our Client as bizarre and unusual.
“The DSS is not oblivious of the terms of the court’s guideline which they have consistently maintained in the past that it must be obeyed to the letter, and through which position they had denied many friends and Attorneys of our Client, access to him.
“However, caution was thrown to the wind yesterday and instead of insisting on this full compliance with the existing guideline, the DSS for reasons best known to them allowed a visitor access to our Client even before the time scheduled for the formal visit and without his lawyers being present during the visit.
“It is of serious concern that the visit was conducted without strict adherence to the court ordered guideline, but more condescending that the visit later became a subject of political gimmicks.
“If we Our Client’s Attorneys, his flesh and blood brothers, and his wife will visit him in due compliance with the court ordered guideline, how can the DSS authorize a visit from any other person in gross violation of this guideline? There is more to it than meets the eyes, which the DSS is now under a compelling duty to explain to us.
“Granted that his name appeared among the list submitted at the 11th hour alongside the names of the lawyers scheduled for the visit, but hurriedly proceeding to conduct the visit without us being present in line with the requirement of the guideline left us with many unanswered questions.
“We have initiated a formal process towards ensuring a thorough investigation of what transpired yesterday, and we shall not hesitate to formally address the world on this subject if there is any attempt to sweep our petition under the carpet.
“The Order of the court and terms as laid down guideline, to regulate visits to our Client is to ensure his maximum protection from persons who may wish to secretly seize the opportunity to hurt or intimidate him into accepting a false narrative outside the dungeon where he is being illegally detained, and they could achieve this through threats and/or coercion. Hence, the need for the presence of his lawyers before granting any audience.
“We may not wish to speak further on this subject or even discuss our Client’s position on this visit pending the outcome of investigation on the DSS authorized violation of the court ordered guideline.
“In as much as we have unequivocally demanded for an immediate investigation, we are not by any means insinuating that visitors of our Client’s choice are not permitted or restrained from visiting him henceforth, but our position is that every visit to our Client must conform with the already set out guideline by the court.
