BY CHUKWUMA NNAM
Request by the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to be transferred from the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, to Kuje Correctional Service Center has Monday meant with Federal Government resistance, as it filed a counter-affidavit in opposition to an application.
The Federal Government in the counter-affidavit told the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that Nnamdi Kanu, is being investigated over offences he committed after he jumped bail.
It said the offences Kanu allegedly committed, bordered on national security.
“That the alleged offences borders on National security.
“That transferring the defendant/applicant to the Correctional facility will jeopardize the investigation of the offences.
“That the defendant/applicant’s application is capable of delaying the proceedings in this case”, read the counter-affidavit that was deposed to by one Loveme Odubo, a litigation officer in the Federal Ministry of Justice.
He said he might die in the custody of the DSS if nothing was done to urgently address his deteriorating health condition.
As well as, “An order of this Honourable Court directing the Defendant/Applicant’s custodian, to grant access to his medical experts/doctors to carry out a comprehensive independent medical examination of the defendant/applicant’s health condition/status, while in custody”.
It will be recalled that Kanu whose whereabouts was hitherto unknown, was on June 27 returned to the country after he was arrested from a yet to be confirmed country.
Meanwhile, Kanu’s lawyer, Ejiofor, disclosed that his client was on June 18, illegally arrested at the airport and detained for eight days by Kenya’s Special Police Force before he was eventually handed over to their Nigerian counterpart.
Ejiofor alleged that the IPOB leader was tortured and subjected to various forms of inhuman treatment in Kenya, a situation he said worsened his health condition.
