The lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, on Thursday alleged that the Director of State Service, DSS, was patronising a substandard local chemist shop to buy drugs for the detained leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, in the DSS facility.
Ejiofor made this known to newsmen in Owerri, shortly after their court-ordered routine visit to DSS headquarters in Abuja.
The lawyer said it was part of what they uncovered trying to find out if the DSS complied with the guidelines for requisite medical treatment on Kanu, following the alarm IPOB raised on the deteriorating health condition of Kanu, last Monday.
However, they called on the DSS, to release Kanu unconditionally so that they could take care of his health issues.
According to the IPOB’s lawyer, he said: “As usual, the Court-Order 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.
“The visit was centred 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, they made the 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 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 gastro intestine disorder, which 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, thdefencedefense 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,” Ejiofor said.
