Contrary to reports, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is not missing but still in the custody of the Department of State Services, his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, clarified on Monday.
He also confirmed that some approved family members of the IPOB leader visited Kanu in the DSS custody on July 14.
Ejiofor in a statement, however, said that the expected visit to Kanu was aborted because of what he described the ‘flimsy’ excuse that Kanu’s authorized handlers, who were to receive the visiting team, were out of the facility on another official assignment.
He said, “We were at the headquarters of the Department of State Services for the Court-Ordered routine visit to our indefatigable Client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, but unfortunately, we could not meet with Onyendu.
“We were informed by the DSS official that Onyendu’s authorized handlers, who were to receive the visiting team, were out of the facility on another official assignment. Hence, the visit was aborted.
“This is not the first time we were confronted with such a flimsy reason for aborting our visit, but the visit has now been rescheduled to Thursday July 21, 2022.
“Be that as it may, it is important to further clarify that the approved relatives of Onyendu, visited Onyendu last week Thursday, being July 14 2022, and they spent ample time with him.
“This information is necessary to address false news which trended on some relatively unpopular blogs early last week, to the effect that Onyendu was missing in the facility of the DSS Abuja.
“In view of the unpleasant consequences the legal team is being exposed to in the course of managing avoidable distractions arising from unhealthy outburst from certain quarters, it has become compelling that we squarely address the following concerns:
“We respectfully wish to urge Umuchineke to henceforth, desist from listening to anybody or person(s), who publicly dish out order(s) through their social media handles, claiming such orders as purportedly emanating from Onyendu.
“Onyendu is specifically and primarily concerned with legal steps being taken by his team of lawyers to ensure his unconditional release from custody, which methodology are usually prohibited from being discussed in our updates/publicly.
“Onyendu only relays his message(s) through his lawyers whenever issues of compelling public concern require his public view. Please note that Onyendu is a freedom fighter, presently held in solitary confinement at the custody of the DSS, and currently undergoing persecution in the hands of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Nevertheless, he must surely regain his freedom and it will be soon.
“Every well-meaning supporter of Onyendu’s cause should be more interested in protecting the legal measures being taken to ensure his freedom, rather than sabotaging them.
“Umuchineke must treat with the greatest circumspect, the resolve of those, who by their unhealthy pronouncement(s) are directly interfering with the strategies of the legal team, and further jeopardising the welfare of Onyendu, and it must stop now!”
