Court threatens to jail DSS DG over failure to allow Nnamdi Kanu access to his lawyers
The Federal High Court in Abuja has threatened to imprison the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Adeola Ajayi, over the secret police’s refusal to allow lawyers access to Nnamdi Kanu.
Mr Kanu, who is facing terrorism charges, is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The IPOB leader has been in detention since he was brought back to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021 under controversial circumstances.
His legal team has repeatedly accused the DSS of denying them access to Mr Kanu, reports Premium Times.
Court warning
The Federal High Court Abuja, in a notice issued on Friday, warned Mr Ajayi that further denial of the lawyers’ access to the IPOB leader would amount to contempt of the court and might result in his (Ajayi) imprisonment.
The judge, Binta Nyako, on 20 May this year, had ordered the SSS to allow Mr Kanu to receive visitors for three days in a week – Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
“Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this order (see overleaf) – by allowing the applicant’s (Kanu’s) counsel to conduct the court-ordered visitations with the applicant on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison,” the court warned Mr Ajayi in the Friday notice.
