Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lawyer for Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, lamented his client’s deteriorating health inside the Department of State Services cell in Abuja.
According to the IPOB lawyer, Kanu hasn’t eaten anything for two days due to excruciating pains in his stomach.
In a statement released on Thursday following his routine meeting with Kanu, the lawyer revealed that the DSS has chosen to administer substandard drugs to Kanu rather than allow him access to proper medical attention from his doctors.
Ejiofor went on to say that Nnamdi Kanu is being tortured and denied medical treatment because the Federal Government is afraid of losing the pending Appeal Court case filed by the IPOB leader.
The statement read, “As usual, the Court-Ordered routine visit to our indefatigable Client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was conducted today, at the DSS Headquarters Abuja, where Onyendu is still being held in solitary confinement for over 14 months.
“Today’s visit was centered on our curiosity to ascertain the DSS level of compliance with providing Onyendu with the requisite medical treatment that would address his deteriorating health condition.
“Sadly, we made startling discovery that despite the alarm raised on Monday, calling for the intervention of responsible foreign Governments and institutions, on the DSS flagrant disobedience of Orders of Court, particularly in denying Onyendu access to his personal medical doctor and medication, the lawless DSS immediately resorted to local chemist store to procure substandard drugs to be administered on Onyendu.
“Since it is now obvious that the DSS does not have the facility, capacity and/or resources to manage Onyendu’s deteriorating health condition, we are compelled to publicly implore the DSS, to allow us have Onyendu back unconditionally, or better still, allow us to purchase the prescribed drugs for Onyendu pending his unconditional release from their custody.
“May we also seize this medium to inform the World that Onyendu has not eaten anything in the past 48 hours due to the concomitant excruciating pains occasioned by his gastrointestinal disorder, which the DSS have deliberately failed to avail him with the prescribed possible medical relief.
“With this development, we are now convinced that the Federal Government of Nigeria is ostensibly afraid of the anticipated positive outcome of the Court of Appeal’s judgement. Hence, they are doing everything possible to subject our Client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to severe torture, and inhuman/degrading treatment before he finally regains his freedom. But, be assured that this strategy is dead on arrival.
“Nevertheless, we assure you, UmuChineke, that our defense team eminently led by the indefatigable Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, is not relenting in all actions we are taking to correct this anomaly and to put to a halt, this seemingly impunity and lawlessness being brazenly exhibited by the DSS.”
