ABUJA- The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to allow the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, access to medical doctors of his choice.
Kanu’s lead counsel, Professor Mike Ozekhome, had filed an application requesting Justice Binta Nyako to issue the order, citing the deterioration of the IPOB leader’s health at the detention facility.
He also urged the court to order the release of his medical reports.
But DSS had filed a preliminary objection asking the court to decline jurisdiction in the matter, arguing that the request had been settled by another court previously.
But in her judgment on Thursday, Justice Binta Nyako dismissed the objection of the DSS, saying the agency failed to respond to issues raised by the applicant regarding his health.
She held that a person arrested and detained shall have the right to demand medical attention by medical practitioners of his choice.
“Consequently, the applicant is entitled to medical attention of his choice but at his cost.
“This application succeeds and is hereby granted,” the judge held.
The judge added that Kanu’s medical practitioners and the DSS should be present whenever examination is conducted on Kanu outside the DSS facility.
She added that the procedure should be recorded while the DSS should supervise for “security purpose”.
Reacting to the development, Ozekhome lauded the judge for the verdict.
He said he will subsequently write the DSS to avail him his client’s medical reports since the time he was extradited from Kenya to Nigeria, that is, between June 27, 2021 till now.
