Legal consultant to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor, has compared him to the late Premier of the Old Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo, over his insistence on representing himself in court.
Speaking with Sunday Punch, Ejimakor said Kanu’s refusal to engage a legal team was the major reason his appeal against his life imprisonment had not yet been filed.
Ejimakor said, “MNK has not filed his appeal yet because he has refused to hire lawyers. You know he disengaged us as his lawyers, so we now act in the capacity of a consultant. I am a consultant to him.
“I don’t know why he does not want a lawyer, but I believe it is because he is a great man. Many great men are like that. They believe you can’t present their case like they can themselves.
“Even Awolowo refused to hire lawyers in his time. MNK wants to represent himself, and there are about four or five processes he has to follow to file the appeal before the Appellate Court.”
Kanu Seeks Transfer From Sokoto Prison
Ejimakor also supported Kanu’s request to be moved from the Sokoto Correctional Centre to a custodial facility closer to Abuja.
He said, “The court already said he can’t be in Kuje prison, so that is fine, but he needs to be closer to Abuja, so if the court will grant his motion to be transferred to Suleja prison or Keffi.
“To me, there is nothing special about any prison in Nigeria. They are all the same, but MNK needs to be close to Abuja.”
Naijaonpoint understands that Kanu, who disengaged the legal team led by former Attorney-General of the Federation Kanu Agabi (SAN), is now representing himself after being sentenced to life imprisonment on November 20.
He was transferred to Sokoto due to security concerns at Kuje Prison, which had suffered multiple jail breaks.
In a motion before Justice James Omotosho, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 and personally signed by him, Kanu asked that the hearing be deemed to have been held in absentia and sought an order directing the Federal Government or the Nigerian Correctional Service to relocate him.
He argued that being held over 700 kilometres from Abuja makes it impracticable to prepare his notice of appeal and record of appeal.
Kanu said relatives, associates, and legal consultants critical to assisting him are all in Abuja.
“The applicant’s continued detention in Sokoto renders his constitutional right to appeal impracticable, occasioning exceptional hardship and potentially defeating the said right, in violation of Section 36 of the Constitution,” the motion stated.
He maintained that a transfer to Suleja or Keffi would allow him to effectively prosecute his constitutionally guaranteed right of appeal.
© 2025 Naijaonpoint, a division of NOP Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]