Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has engaged the services of lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) to fortify his defense in the fresh terrorism charges levied against him by the Federal Government.
Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya in June 2021 and extradited to Nigeria to face trial after he was granted bail in 2017.
He had since been confined to the detention facility of the Department of the State Services (DSS) in Abuja on the order of the court.
The secessionist leader is facing a seven-count charge before the Justice Binta Nyako-led Federal High Court. However, the federal government on Monday, added new counts, bordering on terrorism, against him.
Reacting to the new charges, Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, accused the Federal Government of “dilatory tactics”.
He wondered why the government would release fresh charges against his client on the eve of his resumed trials.
According to him, “I visited Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in the company of Bar. Maxwell Opara and Prince Emmanuel Kanu, for a final brief on the level of our preparedness for tomorrow’s legal onslaught.
“The meeting also afforded us the opportunity to further brief Onyendu on a completely ridiculous 15-Count Amended Charge filed and served on us today, the 17th day of January 2022 on a matter already fixed for hearing of our Preliminary Objection tomorrow, the 18th day of January, 2022. What a joke!
“Today, we were served with a 15-Count Amended Charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation in respect of a case already scheduled tomorrow, for the hearing of our preliminary objection challenging the competence of the 7-Count Amended Charge.”
However, in the resumption of court today, Chief Ozekhome stormed the Federal High Court in the company of Ifeanyi Ejiofor who had earlier been leading the team of Kanu’s lawyers.
Security has been beefed up at the Court premises and its environs as all roads leading to the Court have been effectively blocked by DSS operatives.
