SaharaReporters had reported how Emeka, who hails from Imo State, was arrested in April 2021 while travelling from Lagos to Anambra State by DSS operatives.
A lawyer and human rights activist, Festus Ogun, on Monday alleged the Department of State Services (DSS) denied him access to his client, Emeka Richmond Ngornadi, a businessman who was arrested and detained for allegedly making comments on social media in support of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
SaharaReporters had reported how Emeka, who hails from Imo State, was arrested in April 2021 while travelling from Lagos to Anambra State by DSS operatives.
The agency was said to have been trailing him for two years.
It was gathered that Emeka was travelling from Lagos to Anambra to deliver baby items and goods he had bought for his pregnant wife who had earlier called to inform him that her Estimated Delivery Date (EED) was close.
The wife eventually gave birth in June but lost the baby, allegedly due to psychological trauma over the arrest of her husband.[story_link align="left"]97446[/story_link]
The DSS accused him of being an IPOB member for openly expressing support for Biafra agitators and condemning security agents for the killing of innocent citizens in the Eastern region of the country.
In a statement obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday, Ogun said the DSS insisted the request to meet the businessman would be looked into and accordingly approved by their Director-General before access can be granted.
He said, “We just left the SSS (State Security Service, another name for DSS) Headquarters in Abuja where we were rejected from seeing Emeka Richmond Ngornadi who was arrested in April 2021 and is currently detained by the State Security Service (SSS) for allegedly making comments on social media in support of IPOB and is critically ill in detention. They said I need to write a letter before I can be allowed to see my client whose right is currently being infringed upon.
“We are not new to the shenanigans of the SSS. We perfectly understand the language they are currently speaking and we will surely reply in the language they understand.
“To be clear, there is no substantive rule or procedural policy that supports the practice of demanding a letter and DG’s approval before a lawyer can meet his client.
“Kindly note that the DG’s approval is discretionary. Whereas, lawyers should have unfettered access to their clients. So frustrating to practice law in a lawless country! It is so unfortunate that the SSS has become a law unto itself.
“This hide-and-seek strategy deployed by the SSS to continue violating Mr. Ngornadi’s fundamental rights would only put the lawless agency in more shame and ridicule. There must be consequences for impunity. We will not relent until Mr. Ngornadi enjoys again the breath of freedom.”