“People will come to
see me, they would not allow them. They don’t have a medical facility. I have
congestive heart failure. They are patching me up,” he said.
“My foot is swollen. I asked them to conduct surgery, and
they said they couldn’t. There is a conspiracy to die in detention. I want to
be transferred to Kuje.”
JUDGE REJECTS KANU’S
REQUEST
However, Binta Nyako, presiding judge, said she would keep
Kanu where she deemed fit, as Kuje was out of it.
She added that it is not uncommon for suspects to escape
from Kuje prison as recent history shows.
Kanu who was visibly upset, said he cannot proceed on trial
without proper medical attention.
After his extradition in June 2020, the federal government
filed terrorism charges against Kanu.
In April 2022, Nyako struck out eight of the 15 counts in
the charge.
The remaining seven counts were also quashed by the court of
appeal on October 13, 2022, with the judge ordering Kanu’s release.
However, on October 28, 2022, the court of appeal granted a
stay of execution on its verdict discharging Kanu, after the federal government
filed an appeal at the supreme court.
On December 15, 2023, a five-member panel of the apex court
reversed the verdict of the appeal court and ordered Kanu to resume his trial
before the federal high court.
Moving a fresh bail application on February 26, Aloy
Ejimakor, one of Kanu’s lawyers, said the health of the IPOB leader is
seriously deteriorating.
Ejimakor added that his client is unable to adequately
prepare for his defence in the custody of the DSS.
He said operatives of the DSS “eavesdrop” on confidential
conversations between Kanu and his legal team.
However, Adegboyega Awomolo, prosecution counsel, opposed
the bail application.
The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) prayed the court to dismiss
the application and order an accelerated hearing of the case.
Awomolo said the DSS has been giving Kanu proper care,
adding that the IPOB leader has failed to show the court that he would not jump
bail.
However, the application was refused and the court ordered
the prosecution to call its first witness.
