They (the DSS) gave no valid reason for Kanu not being in court, except to say it lies in their discretion.
Aloy Ejimakor, the lawyer to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has stated that the Department of State Services cited “logistics difficulties” as their reason for their inability to produce Kanu in court for trial.
The IPOB leader’s lawyer stated this in an interview after Monday’s terse trial before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court who adjourned Kanu’s trial to October 21, due to the failure of the Nigerian government to produce him in court.
Speaking with SaharaReporters, Ejimakor said, “They (the DSS) gave no valid reason for Kanu not being in court, except to say it lies in their discretion. But the judge disagreed and told them that trial could not commence without the defendant being present.
“The judge also ordered them to grant Kanu’s lawyers access to him twice a week. The matter was adjourned to October 21.
“And considering the impact of the court vacation, the judge indicated that should any issue concerning the case arise during the vacation, we should call the attention of her staff to it so that she can get the permission of the Chief Judge to grant us a hearing unless we don’t mind the vacation judge to hear us. Finally, contrary to expectations, the charges were not amended.
“The motion to transfer him to prison custody was not heard, because the prosecution filed there today in open Court. So, it will be calendared for hearing later.”
When asked whether Kanu’s health might be a reason for his absence in court, the lawyer said, “I don’t know. They kept saying things like logistics difficulties,” Ejimakor added.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the Federal Government failed to produce Kanu in court contrary to an order of the Federal High Court.
A new counsel to the federal government, Mohammed Abubakar had stunned the court when he announced that Kanu had not been brought before the court.
He had merely announced that Kanu could not be produced in court due to logistics reasons.
His explanation sparked off hot arguments from one of the counsels to Kanu, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who accused the DSS of frustrating efforts by lawyers and family members to access the detained Biafra secessionist leader.
Ejiofor had made frantic efforts to move an application for the transfer of his client to poison as a better option to DSS custody.
He had said, "I was informed authoritatively; I am speaking from the bar that Nnamdi Kanu has been taken out of jurisdiction of this court. We have been denied access to Kanu in the last 10 days. We are worried about his safety and don't know why the Federal Government refused to bring him in court."