Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lead counsel of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has accused the Department of State Services, DSS, of torturing the pro-Biafra agitator psychologically and mentally in detention.
Ejiofor made the remark while accusing DSS spokesman, Peter Afunaya, of deliberately feeding the Public with the falsehood that Kanu lives a luxurious life in detention.
In a statement, the counsel said the secret police placed the IPOB leader on 23-hour solitary confinement.
According to Ejiofor: “From Afunanya’s analysis, it is evident that he is not even familiar with the extant provisions of the Anti-Torture Act 2017, a law every law enforcement official/personnel have sworn to protect.
“Our Client, Nnamdi Kanu need not be subjected to daily beatings and flogging by the personnel of the DSS before he can be qualified as being tortured – No!
“Section 2(b)(iv) of the Anti-Torture Act 2017, defined torture to include: “(b) Mental or psychological torture, which is understood as referring to such cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment calculated to affect or confuse the mind or undermine a person’s dignity and morale, such as- … (iv) Confinement in solitary cells against their will or without prejudice to their security.
“Section 8(1) of the Anti-Torture Act 2017 provides as follows: “A person who contravenes section 2 of this Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 25 years.”
Ejiofor wondered why Afunanya was silent over the solitary confinement of Kanu by the DSS.
He insisted that DSS lied over claims that Kanu is allowed to change his clothes in detention.
Ejiofor said: “We were unable to find in any place throughout his statement where Mr. Afunanya clearly denied the fact that our Client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not subjected to 23 hours daily solitary confinement. In his desperate effort to deny the obvious, Afunanya stated that our Client is allowed the opportunity of daily changing of his clothes. This is a blatant falsehood!”
Ejiofor stated that Nigerians can attest that Kanu has been wearing the Fendi outfit he wore during his rearrest in Kenya.
“The Fendi cloth he was putting on at the time he was abducted in Kenya is the only cloth he has severally worn to court, the general public can attest to this fact. This is despite our plea to the authorities concerned that his clothes should be changed,” he added.
