Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra
(IPOB), has asked a federal high court in Abuja to transfer him from the
custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to Kuje prison.
Kanu was arrested on June 25 and extradited to Nigeria to
face trial for alleged treason.
Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF),
had said the IPOB leader was “intercepted through the collaborative efforts of
Nigerian intelligence and security services”.
Binta Nyako, judge presiding over Kanu’s case, had ordered
that he be remanded him in DSS’ custody, pending the continuation of his trial.
But in an application filed through his team of lawyers led
by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the IPOB leader complained that he has been denied access
to his doctors.
Kanu alleged that he has been “subjected to mental and
psychological torture” by the DSS, saying it would be in the interest of
justice for the court to order his transfer to the Nigerian Correctional
Service centre, which he described as “an impartial facility that has no interest
whatsoever” in the outcome of his trial.
The affidavits attached to support his application stated
“that an ECG examination was carried out on the defendant, and it was
discovered that the defendant’s heart had been enlarged by more than 13%,
posing a serious threat and danger to defendant’s life”.
“That the health personnel attending to the defendant in the
custody of the State Security Service is not adequate, considering the
circumstances of the defendant’s health condition,” the document reads.
“That the defendant requires the services of his medical
experts as his medical records issued by the chief cardiologist of Nairobi
Hospital, who has the defendant’s medical records, mainly, before the
arrest/abduction of the Applicant shows a debilitating medical condition.
Copies of these medical records showing the applicant’s subsisting health
condition are hereby attached and marked as Exhibit MNK.
“That if the health condition of the defendant is not
addressed most promptly, the defendant may die in custody, even before his
trial.”
Kanu also submitted that he has limited access to his
lawyer, whom he said has to go through a “rigorous process” of seeking the
approval of the DSS director, which may sometimes take days before it is
granted.
The document also noted that Kanu can only be granted fair
hearing in his trial, when he is “not remanded in the custody of his accusers”.
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