The Department of State Security (DSS) has finally granted Nnamdi Kanu access to his lawyers after a long legal battle.
According to media reports, the Director-General of the DSS, Adeola Ajayi, has permitted Kanu’s lawyers to visit the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Kanu, who has been in custody facing terrorism charges since his controversial repatriation from Kenya in June 2021, has had limited legal access, prompting a series of legal interventions and protests from his defence team.
Kanu’s legal team, led by special counsel Aloy Ejimakor, has repeatedly accused the DSS of obstructing their access to him, despite a May 2023 court order from Justice Binta Nyako directing the DSS to allow visitors three times weekly.
Persistent denials led the court to summon Ajayi in October, warning he could face jail time if the access restrictions continued.
The breakthrough follows a recent intervention by House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Abia State Representative Obi Aguocha, who visited Kanu in detention, brokering what Ejimakor described as a “political compromise” to resolve the access issue.
On Monday, Ejimakor shared on social media that the legal team’s visit marked the first successful meeting with Kanu since September 27.
Accompanied by Ndidi Awurum, a U.S.-based Nigerian, the visit was reportedly conducted under the direct authorization of the DSS director-general.
