The Department of State Services (DSS) has reinstated access for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to meet with his legal team and family members. The move comes after mounting pressure on the Nigerian secret police following their earlier decision to bar Kanu from receiving visitors.
Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to Kanu, confirmed the development on Friday after a routine visitation. He revealed that the IPOB leader had decided to move past the aborted visitation on Wednesday but emphasized that such an incident should never happen again.
“The legal team, Prince Emma Kanu, Hon. Obinna Ichita, and another, concluded today’s visitation with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He remains as resolute as ever, and it was agreed that the aborted visitation should be put behind us, but let it not happen again,” Ejimakor stated.
Earlier, on Wednesday, SaharaReporters had reported that the DSS had defied a court order by preventing Kanu’s legal team and family members from meeting him. The legal team, accompanied by some of Kanu’s relatives and a former Abia State House of Assembly member, was denied access to him at the DSS facility.
Ejimakor has repeatedly expressed concerns over the DSS’s disregard for court orders concerning Kanu’s rights. In November 2024, he accused the agency of deliberately violating a court ruling that allowed Kanu to meet with his lawyers. This prompted him to resume all suspended legal actions to enforce compliance.
On November 11, 2024, nearly two months after restricting Kanu’s access, the DSS finally permitted a meeting following directives from its Director General, Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi. However, the latest restriction and subsequent reinstatement of access have reignited concerns over the agency’s commitment to respecting judicial rulings.
Ejimakor warned on Wednesday that the DSS’s actions amounted to a flagrant disregard for the Nigerian Constitution and the court order granting Kanu access to his legal team and family. He vowed to continue resisting such violations.
He further revealed that despite submitting a visitation request to the DSS on Tuesday, the team was denied access on Wednesday. The sudden reversal on Friday suggests growing scrutiny of the DSS’s handling of Kanu’s detention.
Kanu, who has been in DSS custody since his controversial arrest and extradition in 2021, continues to face legal battles concerning his trial. His supporters and legal representatives have consistently demanded fair treatment, insisting that his fundamental rights must be upheld.
The latest development raises further questions about the Nigerian government’s stance on human rights and the rule of law, especially as it pertains to political detainees. Observers will closely monitor whether the DSS will maintain compliance with the court’s directive moving forward.
