DSS defies court, bars Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team yet again

The Department of State Services (DSS) has again prevented Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), from meeting with his legal team, sparking renewed outrage.

The development was announced by Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Ejimakor stated that the DSS’s actions are in direct defiance of court rulings that had mandated Kanu’s right to legal representation.

In his statement, Ejimakor wrote: “Today, in a blatant & continuing disobedience of extant court order, the DSS barred the Legal Team of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from conducting a visitation with him.”

He stressed that, as a result of this violation, all previously paused legal measures aimed at enforcing compliance would now resume with intensified efforts.

The DSS has, on multiple occasions, blocked access to Kanu’s lawyers. The Abuja Federal High Court had also warned the DSS, with a previous threat to hold its Director General, Adeola Ajayi, in contempt and potentially face jail time if the violations continue.

Nnamdi Kanu has been held in DSS custody since 2021, following his controversial arrest and extraordinary rendition from a foreign country.

His detention has been a highly contentious issue, both nationally and internationally, drawing criticism from human rights groups who argue that the process violated international law and Kanu’s fundamental rights.