By Favour Goodness
The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to transfer him from the State Security Services (SSS) facility to Kuje Correctional Centre.
Loading ...Meanwhile, IPOB has accused the SSS of denying his doctors access to him.
The group alleged that the health of its leader was deteriorating.
Kanu was arrested on June 25 under a controversial circumstance that is still shrouded in mystery and brought back to face trial for alleged treason.
Justice Binta Nyako had ordered that he be remanded in SSSโ custody and adjourned until July 26 for resumption of his trial.
Kanuโs lawyers, led by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, accused the SSS of subjecting him to โmental and psychological tortureโ.
They said it would be in the interest of justice for the court to order his transfer to the Correctional Centre.
The lawyers said the Correctional Centre is โan impartial facility that has no interest whatsoeverโ in the case.
โAn ECG examination was carried out on the defendant, and it was discovered that the defendantโs heart had been enlarged by more than 13 per cent, posing a serious threat and danger to defendantโs life.
The health personnel attending to the defendant in the custody of the State Security Service is not adequate, considering the circumstances of the defendantโs health condition.
โThe defendant requires the services of his medical experts as his medical records issued by the chief cardiologist of Nairobi Hospital, who has the defendantโs medical records, mainly, before the arrest/abduction of the applicant shows a debilitating medical condition.
โCopies of these medical records showing the applicantโs subsisting health condition are hereby attached and marked as Exhibit MNK.
โIf the health condition of the defendant is not addressed promptly, the defendant may die in custody, even before his trial,โ a supporting affidavit read.
Kanu added that his lawyers had limited access to him, as they have to go through a rigorous process of obtaining the SSS directorโs approval, which may take days.
In a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, the pro-Biafran group stressed that no harm should befall its leader.
It urged human rights and international organisations to compel the Nigerian government to grant Kanuโs doctors unfettered access to him.
The statement reads: โWe wish to alert the world and men of good conscience about the deteriorating health condition of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who has been in detention at the State Security Services, (SSS) dungeon since his illegal abduction in Kenya and criminal repatriation to Nigeria.
โWe are alerting the world about this anomaly to compel the Nigerian government to grant our leaderโs doctors access to see him for a thorough medical examinationโฆ
โWe wish to unequivocally state that no harm should befall our leader as the consequences can only be better imaginedโฆ
โWe urge human rights organisations, UN, AU, EU, ECOWAS and other relevant organisations across the globe to rise in defence of justice and compel the Nigerian government and her compromised security agencies to grant our leaderโs personal doctors unfettered access to him.โ
โOur leader must not die in SSS custody neither should he suffer any serious health complications.โ
