IPOB: Kanu May Go Blind In DSS Detention, Ozekhome Tells Court
Human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, on Wednesday, told Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja that his client and leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, may go blind because he was losing his sight.
Kanu is facing trial over alleged links with terrorism.
Ozekhome, who recently took over the defence team of the embattled IPOB leader, decried that his client’s eyeglass was confiscated in 2015, when he was initially arrested by DSS operatives, following his return to Nigeria from the United Kingdom.
He also told the court that a new eyeglass that Kanu bought was also seized from him during his extradition from Kenya.
Besides, Ozekhome bemoaned that despite an express order of the court, the DSS declined to allow the IPOB leader have a change of clothing.
He alleged that the security agency refused to allow Kanu to receive new clothes that were brought to him by his younger brother, Emmanuel.
“My Lord will still see the defendant in the same uniform which my lord warned against in the last proceedings.
“It will be recalled that they had on that day, alleged that he said that he preferred to wear the same cloth because it is a designer.
“However, since that time, the younger brother of the Defendant, his lawyer, and sister have gone three times with materials for him to change but they refused to collect them.
“So bad was it that Ejiofor had to call the Director of Legal Services and complained to him. the Director told him that he would do something about it, that he would contact the Director of Operations to ensure that the order was carried out.
“But since then, nothing has been done. They have not allowed him to change his clothes”.
On the issue of Kanu’s eyesight, Ozekhome said: “My lord, since 2015, his glasses were taken from him.
“The one he wore before his extraordinary rendition from Kenya was also taken from him.
“Till now, he does not have glasses to wear and his eyesight is deteriorating.
“My lord we do not want the Defendant to go blind, that is why we have decided to bring it to the attention of the court”.
Justice Binta Nyako said she would look into the matter.
