The Department of State Services (DSS) has explained why the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu is not allowed to change his clothes.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Director of Legal Services of the DSS gave the explanation at the resumed trial of Kanu on Wednesday.
“My Lord, clothes that were brought for the defendant had lion’s head embroiled on them, and the defendant can’t wear clothes with a lion’s head.
“Clothes with lion’s head offend the standard operating procedures of the SSS,” the secret service’s lawyer said.
Recall that in December 2021, Justice Binta Nyako had ordered that Kanu be allowed to change his outfit before his next appearance in court.
However, contrary to the order made by Justice Binta, Kanu appeared at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday with him wearing his regular Fendi outfit.
It was after Mike Ozekhome, counsel to the defendant complained to the court that the DSS gave the explanation.
When asked the type of cloth he prefers to wear, Kanu responded by saying: “I want to wear the clothes of my people, “Isi Agu”.
However, the court refused his request but asked the DSS to provide him with his eyes glasses, which his lawyers said was taken away from him.
Meanwhile, the Prosecution Counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, informed the court that the defence counsel had filed and served him with two applications, which he had responded accordingly.
He added that the first application is seeking an order quashing the 15-count amended charge levelled against Kanu and the other one seeking his bail.
In his submissions, counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, Mike Ozekhome also complained to the court that thrice, Kanu’s younger brother has been refused access to DSS facility where Kanu was detained.
Ozekhome said he has an application that basically seeks the quashing, striking out, and dismissing of the 15-count amended charge against Kanu for being incompetent and denying the court of jurisdiction to entertain the 15-count amended charge.
The application, with 34 grounds, and supported by 36-paragraph affidavit, Ozekhome said, also seeks for an order acquitting and discharging Kanu for want of jurisdiction and defective, baseless and incompetent charges.
The matter was then adjourned to April 8 to rule on Kanu’s applications to quash the charge.
Mr Kanu is accused of various offences, including treasonable felony and terrorism, offences he allegedly committed in the course of his separatist campaigns.