Aloy Ejimakor, lead counsel for the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, speaks to BIODUN BUSARI about the continued incarceration of his client, among other issues
AFter almost three years Nnamdi Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services. What is the experience like for him and you as his lead counsel?
In whatever we do in life, nobody desires to spend any span of his life in a penitentiary, especially in the horrid environment of State Security Services detention facility that is institutionally inclined to frustrating detainees. But for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, I can tell you that his awareness of the dangers of freedom-fighting in a Third World setting had prepared him for a day like this.
It was from him that I first heard the maxim, ‘A true freedom fighter is either in exile, in prison, or even in the grave’. So, despite the inherent tribulations of the detention, he is handling it with equanimity and grit that are uncommon. As his counsel, it is undeniable that the pressure of representing a client of his calibre, who is also in detention, can be very profound but with time, I have found the verve to stay the course and remain upbeat.
Kanu has asked the Federal Government for a political solution. Can you elaborate on how he came about this?
Nnamdi Kanu never asked for a political solution. He didn’t even speak in court as he did last time. What happened in court on June 19, 2024, was that the Judge wanted to find out if the parties, that is, the Nigerian government and Nnamdi Kanu, had considered such an option and she directed the question to me, first. So, I stated what was the gospel truth; the prosecutor, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), and I had once discussed it briefly, and the SAN confirmed that indeed, we did have such a conversation briefly in court during one of the previous hearings.
On further questions by the Judge, the SAN said that the ultimate decision on such a matter lies with the Attorney-General of the Federation. The people twisting this thing and waxing negative on it have to bear in mind that the Judge is empowered by Section 17 of the Federal High Court Act to promote reconciliation or amicable settlement between parties in a dispute, whether criminal or civil.
The provision states that ‘In any proceeding in the court, the court may promote reconciliation among parties and encourage and facilitate the amicable settlement thereof’. This is the clear black letter law that triggered the robust conversation between the parties and the court on 19th June, but aspects of the fringe media appeared to have taken it out of context and with a negative slant.
Suffice it to say that back in August 2017, the Federal Government, through South-East governors, had initiated a dialogue with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and there was no reason to suggest that there was an impasse before the deadly Python Dance came up. The convulsions brought by that infamous military misadventure are still felt to this day, one of them being the spiralling insecurity that has disquieted the South-East in recent times.
Kanu said some time ago that peace would be restored in two days in the South-East if he was freed. What did he mean by this?
Kanu possesses the aura, influence, and charisma that can tame the good, the bad, and the ugly.
You have called on the international community and most especially the United Kingdom to come to the aid of Kanu, but it seems they are not forthcoming. What is the motive behind their refusal to help?
It’s untrue that the United Nations is not forthcoming. The body has rendered three decisions in favour of Kanu. There is a similar one from the African Union. So, instead of the UN and AU, it is the Nigerian government that is not forthcoming in implementing those decisions, which is a flagrant breach of Nigeria’s treaty obligations.
There was a time you called for the transfer of Kanu from DSS custody to Kuje Prisons over their unfair treatment of him. Is the situation still the same?
The situation is more or less the same, hence the reason we have said that there is no prospect of a fair trial for Kanu for as long as he remains detained at the DSS.
How come he looks refreshed every time he comes to court? Isn’t that a sign that the DSS is taking good care of him?
As the saying goes, ‘Looks can be deceiving’. However, the secret to Kanu’s good looks may lie in his genes, the strength of his mind, and the grace of God.
He (Kanu) wanted to be a politician and also be a member of the House of Reps according to the founding chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chekwas Okorie. Does he still have such ambition?
I did not know that he wanted to be all that. However, if it’s true, then one can safely say that such was in the remote past and way before the cookie crumbled under Buhari.
Will it be correct if he is blamed for the killings in the South-East?
There’s no basis whatsoever to blame Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for the killings in South-East.
