Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team, representing the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, has issued a warning of a potential boycott of court proceedings due to perceived injustices against their client.
The legal team emphasized that they would refrain from participating in the proceedings unless the Department of State Services (DSS) respects Kanu’s right to a fair trial.
Kanu, facing charges of treason and terrorism, has been held in DSS custody since 2021. Despite his application for bail on health grounds and to prepare for trial, which was rejected by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, the court has scheduled Kanu’s trial to commence on April 17, 2024.
However, Alloy Ejimakor, leading Kanu’s legal team, has expressed concern over the obstacles they have encountered in preparing Kanu for trial. Ejimakor accused the DSS of denying them access to their client and confiscating legal documents necessary for Kanu’s defense.
During a press conference in Abuja on April 9, 2024, Ejimakor asserted that they would withdraw from the trial if the DSS persists in obstructing their efforts to prepare Kanu’s defense. He argued that such actions by the DSS undermine Kanu’s right to a fair trial, and the legal team cannot be complicit in an unjust process.
Efforts to reach the DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, for comment were unsuccessful at the time of this report. The DSS has yet to respond to the allegations leveled against them by Kanu’s legal team.
