Senator Orji Kalu has denied reports that he asked operatives of the Department of State Security Services, DSS, to starve Nnamdi Kanu, leader of Indigenous People of Biafra who is in the custody of the secret police.

He said such a report is untrue. According to him, it is lie and cheap propaganda.

Kalu made this known on Facebook.

The former Governor, however, urged his followers to disregard such lie launched to create hatred between him and his brothers.

Kalu said: “A friend said the statement below is been circulated on social media and I urge you to please ignore as it’s a big fat lie and cheap propaganda.

“The circulating lie says, “When Senator Orji Uzor Kalu visited DSS and Mazi Nnamdi, he told the DSS to stop giving Nnamdi Kanu food and Nnamdi Kanu has been living without food since then ”

“My brief take is that there is nothing one would do that people won’t talk about. If you don’t visit, they will blame you for not visiting. If you visit, they will still blame you. But more sympathetic to me is those that believe and propagate any cock and bull story. If the agenda is to create hatred between me and my brothers, it’s a waste of time because my people love me and I love them too. I will always respond to hate with love.”

A Lawless DSS

Recall Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lawyer of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on Tuesday, claimed that his client is starving in the custody of the Department of State Services.

According to him, none of the pronouncements made by Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja on December 2, 2021, has been obeyed by the DSS.

Ejiofor said these in a statement titled: “Update on today’s visit to our indefatigable client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu at the Headquarters of the Department of State Services Abuja.”

He said, “The routine visit to our client — Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was conducted on December 6, 2021, and in his usual practice, he extended his compliments to his millions of supporters. He remains profoundly grateful for the overwhelming support and show of solidarity thus far.

“However, we observed with dismay, and indeed very unfortunate and worrisome that notwithstanding the far-reaching orders made by Her Lordship in the open Court on December 2, 2021, the detaining authority being the DSS have in their usual style, flouted and/or ignored the said court orders.

“We were informed by our client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu that none of the pronouncements made by the Court on December 2 2021 has been obeyed by the DSS.

“They have unrepentantly continued to treat the orders of the Court with the greatest disdain. Our client — Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu further informed us that he had not eaten anything since yesterday (Sunday).”

The lawyer further claimed that his client is being punished because he complained to the court about how he is being treated in the custody of the DSS.

Ejiofor said, “Apparently, he is being punished because we dared to complain to the court about the condition under which he is being held in custody. But, very, unfortunately, this should be the height of their reckless affront to the orders of Court.

“At the time Her Lordship made these far-reaching orders in open court, I did not mince words in informing the Court that the operatives of the DSS will flout these orders, pursuant to which the court specifically told me to come back to her with these facts if her order is flouted.”

Ejiofor noted that due to the development, he would approach the court tomorrow (8th Dec) to reveal this ‘terrifying’ development. The lawyer said that the development is ‘totally unacceptable, grossly condemnable, and cannot be tolerated.’

He said, “Interestingly, we will be approaching the court tomorrow with this terrifying development, which is totally unacceptable, grossly condemnable, and cannot be tolerated.

“The facts must be placed in their proper perspectives: Our Client — Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has not been convicted of committing any crime, he is still presumed innocent of every unfounded and frivolous allegation against him, and as such, the DSS has no power whatsoever to whittle down the enjoyment of any of his rights clearly protected under Chapter 4 of the constitution.

“The detaining authority (DSS) is an agency clearly established by instrumentality of the laws and should operate within the confines of the same laws establishing them, and should not be seen as a lawless entity.”

The lawyer, hence, demanded that the DSS comply with the ruling of the court immediately as further attempts to flout these orders will be faced with strict sanctions by the court.

He said, “We hereby, demand without further ado, for the immediate compliance with all the orders of the Court clearly made on December 2, 2021, and further attempt to flout these orders must be faced with strict sanctions by the Court.

“We respectfully wish to assure our client’s teeming supporters that we cannot leave anything to chance towards ensuring that our client is sufficiently protected and his rights are upheld. The DSS must and shall certainly operate within the confines of the laws. They have no option on this.

“Be assured that we are not resting on oars whatsoever, to ensure that our Client is unconditionally released. This strategy isn’t being discussed here, but it will happen soon.”

Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered on December 2, 2021 that the IPOB leader should not be discriminated against in the custody of the secret police.

The presiding judge had also ordered that Kanu be given maximum comfort possible in detention, be allowed a change of clothing, be allowed free practice of his Jewish faith including access to his Jewish religious materials, allowed to receive any visitor of his choice, and allowed to mingle freely with other inmates in DSS custody.

Justice Nyako also adjourned the trial of Kanu till January 18, 2022, after granting a motion for an abridgement of time.