The DSS stated this in a counter-affidavit by Hamza Pandogari, an official of the secret agency, noting that Kanu received adequate and quality medical attention when necessary, PM News reports.
BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKFEB 07, 2022
The Department of State Services (DSS), has said that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is being pampered and adequately taken care of in its custody.
The DSS stated this in a counter-affidavit by Hamza Pandogari, an official of the secret agency, noting that Kanu received adequate and quality medical attention when necessary, PM News reports.
Nnamdi Kanu
Hamza explained that “Dr O. FASAN, Consultant, Cardiologist from the National Hospital, Abuja; Dr, A OHUNMWANGHO, a Consultant Gastroenterologist, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, and Prof. MBAKWE, Consultant CARDIOLOGIST, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital” were among the experts who had been attending to Kanu’s health.
The official said the applicant (Kanu) had never missed his trial based on health grounds.
The DSS official said, “The applicant (Kanu) enjoys direct and unrestricted access to medical practitioners who are experts in their various field of medical practice.
“That apart from the regular routine medical checkup, applicant gets promptly the required medical attention, upon any request or complaint by applicant relating to his health. That while in custody, applicant enjoys several privileges including but not limited to entertaining a total number of six visitors of his choice every week, three each on Monday and Thursday, the days set out by the court as applicant’s visiting days.”
Pandogari gave a peek into Kanu’s detention life in a response to the affidavit by Kanu’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara, that Kanu was suffering some deprivation in DSS cell.
According to Pandogari, Kanu was arrested by personnel of the 1st and 2nd respondents upon reasonable suspicion of his engagement in acts of treason and terrorism by propagating violence against the people of Nigeria under the guise of succession.
Pandogari, who said that though Nyako earlier admitted Kanu to bail sometime in April 2017, he jumped the bail but was rearrested to continue his trial.
The officer said contrary to paragraph 4 (a) and (b) of Kanu’s affidavit, “there is no such order of court that applicant should have unrestricted access to the medial practitioner of his choice while in 1st and 2nd respondent’s custody.”
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of Federal High Court, Abuja, had fixed February 28, 2022, to hear the fundamental rights’ enforcement suit filed by Kanu.
