Just weeks after his failed bid for release from custody, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has made a significant move by dismissing his legal team. This decision, which came shortly after a Supreme Court ruling, indicates a strategic shift in Kanu’s legal defense.
According to a reliable judicial source, Nnamdi Ejimakor and Nnameka Ejiofor, who were part of Kanu’s legal team, were instructed by Kanu to formally terminate their legal contract. This termination was communicated to the team’s lead counsel, a prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) known for his vocal legal stance in the country.
Replacing his former legal team, Kanu has reportedly sought the services of another respected legal figure from Cross River State. A recent meeting between Kanu and this new legal representative focused on the best approach for handling his legal matters going forward. However, it remains uncertain whether the former lead counsel will accept this new arrangement.
Kanu’s decision to dismiss his legal team stems from his dissatisfaction with their performance in his case. He believes that they did not adequately challenge his ongoing incarceration and failed to secure his transfer from the Department of State Services (DSS) custody to the Kuje Correctional Service, where he would have more freedom to interact with his acquaintances.
In addition to his legal team, Kanu is reportedly unhappy with his medical team’s efforts. He feels that they have not sufficiently presented a convincing medical report that could facilitate his transfer from DSS healthcare to treatment by his preferred private doctors outside Nigeria.
The Supreme Court’s ruling on December 15, 2023, upheld the Federal Government’s appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision to dismiss charges against Nnamdi Kanu. The Supreme Court held that despite the government’s unlawful actions, Kanu could still stand trial, rejecting the notion that the illegality surrounding his arrest in Kenya should prevent further legal proceedings against him.
Vanguard News