There was a huge sigh of relief when the legal team of IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu confirmed that he was indeed alive. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, has reacted to rumours over the purported death of the Biafran agitator, saying there was no truth whatsoever to it.
The rumour had gained ground and spread like wild fire on Monday after another of Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, posted a photo of a burning candle and an eye with a tear drop on Facebook. The photos which did not carry any explanation, led many to believe something must have happened to Kanu, but on Tuesday morning, Ejiofor came out with a statement to dispel the rumours and assured that “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is very much alive” in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Beneath the back and forth ‘life or death’ confirmation, observers tend to believe that all may not be well with the health situation of Nnamdi Kanu. Justice Binta Nyako had on several occasions warned the DSS on change of clothes for the IPOB leader and to allow him to the best welfare possible and to practice his religion but up until the last court appearance in February, these directives were not obeyed. Aloy Ejimakor, had cried out over the health condition of the Biafran agitator, claiming his heart is rapidly failing which could lead to his untimely death if he is denied urgent medical attention.
Ejimakor who raised the alarm in a petition to the Red Cross, said in the past two weeks, Kanu had been battling with severe breathing problems, lamenting that the IPOB leader has not received adequate medical attention while in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
In the letter of appeal to the Red Cross, Ejimakor urged the body to put pressure on the Nigerian government to “facilitate immediate and independent medical examination of Kanu.” The letter, which was made available to Ripples Nigeria entitled ‘RE: Urgent Appeal for your humanitarian intervention with the Government of Nigeria to grant Mazi Nnamdi Kanu access to independent medical examination and care,’ urged the international philanthropic organisation to do everything possible to bear on the government to grant Kanu an opportunity of an independent medical examination. “We are appealing to the International Red Cross to bring your good offices to bear on the Government of Nigeria to grant our client the opportunity of an independent medical examination and care within the shortest possible time.
“His health, particularly his heart, is failing him and he was having severe breathing issues; that his fingernails are cracking and he feels dizzy. “He told us that he was not receiving the necessary medical care even when the Government of Nigeria is aware from his in-jail medical examination that his heart has enlarged by 13%. “His serious medical problems require the urgent and constant attention of specialist doctors [which are not being given to him in the detention facility]. “Our client informs us that his blood has been drawn more than 20 times without explanation, and that he continues to feel apprehension and dread that he is in custody of those that partook in his extra-ordinary rendition. “In this circumstance, he is daily facing the grim and imminent risk of losing his life in detention. “
While giving an update after a routine visit to Kanu in the DSS detention facility in Abuja, in the company of the lead counsel, Mike Ozekhome, and Special Counsel, Ejimakor Ejiofor, disclosed that the legal team was not allowed to see the IPOB leader during the visit.
In the statement, Ejiofor said he was informed by the DSS operatives that Kanu was protesting against his previous inability to meet with his legal representative.
“We can authoritatively confirm to you all at this stage that Nnamdi Kanu is very much alive, and still being detained in the facility of the State Security Services (DSS) National Headquarters, Abuja. “He is hale and hearty and we implore our teeming members and supporters to disregard any rumour of his death. “Following the stout protest by the erudite Silk, we were consequently brought in, to meet with some superior officers at a meeting where all superior personnel connected with the matter were invited.
“Far-reaching contacts were made to establish the fact that our client, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was presumably protesting the previous three visits which were aborted by the DSS. “All efforts made to move the visit to his very location of detention were not granted by the DSS, as they insisted that our request ran contrary to their procedure and guidelines. “Effort is presently being intensified to pacify Onyendu to have one-on-one discussion with his legal team, to enable us brief him on legal steps we may be compelled to take and measures to be adopted to assure him that there are legal consequences for flagrant violations of court orders by the DSS. “We are quite hopeful that this needless impasse will be resolved soon, to enable the legal team led by Ozekhome, to conduct the visit. That has so far been assured us.” the statement reads.
