The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is considering disengaging Mike Ozekhome, Senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) as the head of his legal team, POLITICS NIGERIA has exclusively gathered.
Kanu, who is currently in detention, engaged the services of Ozekhome in January 2022 in order to fight his multiple legal battles.
The senior lawyer took over from Ifeanyi Ejiofor who was previously leading Kanu’s team of lawyers. Ozekhome also confirmed this during a court sitting on January 18, 2022.
However, one year after, Kanu is about to let go of the lawyer for ‘ineffective representation’, sources have told this newspaper.
It was gathered that in a recent meeting with one of the IPOB leader’s lawyers, Kanu was informed that the Federal Government has filed additional grounds of appeal against his case at the supreme court.
The lawyer stated that the government’s process is simply to delay the case. He also averred that it is too late for the government to apply for the amendment of their brief, adding that the appeal by the government did not raise any new ground.
In a response to the government’s move, Kanu expressed worry about Ozekhome’s alleged aloofness to the new grounds of appeal filed by the government.
“He expressed concern that Ozekhome seems not to be serious with the case and remarked that he was not effective in handling the case,” a source who does not want his name in print said.
Kanu, POLITICS NIGERIA gathered, wondered how Ozekhome could be quiet when he has a client who is in detention without charge.
“He demanded that Ozekhome should bring back his case file and vowed to change him. Ejiofor promised that Ozekhome would come on the 9th of March so that Kanu could personally pass the information to him.”
“Kanu lamented that the Federal government wants to amend its grounds of appeal, and that he is not happy with his legal team at the Supreme Court because he is being held without charge. He complained that the team wrote a letter to the court and failed to mention that he is in detention without trial,” another source familiar with the outcome of the meeting stated.
Kanu warns family members against media activities
However, while Kanu is trying to conclude the process of disengaging Ozekhome, he has issued a new directive to guide his family members and supporters’ activities in the media. This development is coming as his siblings are mired in a serious battle over control over the group’s finances.
“Kanu instructed his lawyers to do a memorandum to Chika Edoziem, Chinasa Nworu, Nnenna as well as his family members, Conveying his new instruction that no one should carry out media attacks on anybody under any circumstance,” a source mentioned.
This he noted, is because the quarrels are diverting attention from his court case.
POLITICS NIGERIA also learnt that Kanu threatened to publicly disown anyone who broadcasts or writes anything against his family members.
The embattled IPOB leader also mentioned that he is not happy with Edoziem because of his writings about the group’s finances on Social media and added that he should leave Nnenna alone.
He warned strongly that his siblings must not say anything to the media or say anything publicly.
