Chief Mike Ozekhome, human rights lawyer and a legal counsel to the embattled leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has raised alarm over the deteriorating health of his client, saying he may go blind because he has been losing his sight.
Ozekhome while addressing the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, said Kanu who is currently in the custody of the Department of State Services is having challenges seeing.
The lawyer argued that Kanu’s eyeglass was confiscated by DSS operatives following his arrest in June, last year.
According to him, Kanu has been complaining about his sight, decrying the alleged maltreatment of his client by the operatives of the DSS.
Ozekhome lamented that despite an express order of the court, the DSS declined to allow the IPOB leader have a change of clothing.
He alleged that the security agency refused to allow Kanu to receive new clothes that were brought to him by his younger brother, Emmanuel.
In his words: “My Lord will still see the defendant in the same uniform which my lord warned against in the last proceedings.
“It will be recalled that they had on that day, alleged that he said that he preferred to wear the same cloth because it is a designer.
“However, since that time, the younger brother of the Defendant, his lawyer, and sister have gone three times with materials for him to change but they refused to collect them.
“So bad was it that Ejiofor had to call the Director of Legal Services and complained to him. the Director told him that he would do something about it, that he would contact the Director of Operations to ensure that the order was carried out.
“But since then, nothing has been done. They have not allowed him to change his clothes.
“My lord, since 2015, his glasses were taken from him.
“The one he wore before his extraordinary rendition from Kenya was also taken from him.
“Till now, he does not have glasses to wear and his eyesight is deteriorating.
“My lord we do not want the Defendant to go blind, that is why we have decided to bring it to the attention of the court”.
The presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako, said she would look into the matter, adjourning trial till April.
