Ifeanyi Uba seeks court’s permission to visit Nnamdi Kanu in detention

Senator Ifeanyi Uba (Anambra North) has applied to the Federal High Court in Abuja for an order allowing him access to the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, who is being detained in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS).

Uba, a candidate of the Young Democratic Party (YDP) in the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, wants the court to grant him leave to visit Kanu in SSS custody as part of his oversight legislative function.

In the motion on notice, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2021, Uba also wants an order directing the SSS to allow him access to its detention facility for purposes of visiting Nnamdi Kanu.

Uba, in a supporting affidavit, stated that “there had been serious agitation aimed at pressing home his release and this had degenerated into the proclamation of sit-at-home orders in the South-East, a situation which is crippling the economy of the South East.

“I know that the sit-at-home orders are a medium of expression of solidarity to the detained defendant and same has been hijacked by unknown criminal elements who are now terrorizing the South East and engaging in wanton killings, assassinations and burning of valuable properties.

“I state that the sit-at-home orders have gravely affected the economy of the South East and had often led to the killing of flouters, arson and assassination of notable persons by a terror group called unknown gunmen.

“There is an allegation that all the above criminalities are being championed by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra under the leadership of the detained defendant; an allegation which has been denied severally; yet the situation continues to worsen.

“As a senator from the South East geo-political zone of Nigeria, I took it upon myself in carrying out my oversight legislative functions to visit the defendant at the DSS detention facility to ascertain from him if he is involved in any way in what is happening in the South East and to seek ways of amicable settlement of the separatist agitation in the South East in the overall interest of Nigeria.

“At the DSS detention facility, I was denied access, to the Defendant and directed to approach this court to obtain permission before I could be allowed access to the defendant.

“I state that the action of the DSS in denying me access to visit and amicably intervene and provide solutions to the lingering sit-at-home orders, securities issues and violence in the South East is a disservice to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I listed and intend to visit the defendant in my capacity as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and for purposes of attempting to ameliorate and fashion a meeting point or create a discussion table aimed at reducing tension and quelling the agitation and killings in the South East.

“The visit is part of my oversight legislative function, which I am empowered by the Constitution of Nigeria to perform. I state that my interest in seeking to see the defendant is in the interest of national peace and security,” he said.

Uba’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara said the application was necessitated by the SSS’ insistence that his client gets an order of the court to be allowed to visit the detainee.

The SSS said “Kanu is being detained on the order of the court, and that we should get the court’s permission to visit him,”Opara said.

(The Nation)