A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the State Security Service (SSS) to allow the self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nmandi Kanu access to his reading glasses.

Justice Binta Nyako, in a ruling at the resumed hearing in Kanu’s treasonable felony trial on Tuesday before the Federal High Court, Abuja, rejected his instance on being allowed to wear Igbo traditional attire known as “isi agu.”

Kanu’s lead lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) at the commencement of proceedings around 1.30pm on Wednesday, complained that the SSS has failed to allow his client change his clothes despite an earlier order by the court.
Ozekhome also accused the SSS, in whose custody Kanu is being kept, of failing to provide his client with his reading glasses.

He claimed Kanu’s sight was threatened by his inability to make use of his reading glasses since he was re-arrested last June.

Ozekhome said: “My lord will still see the defendant in the same uniform which my lord warned against in the last proceedings.

“It will be recalled that they had on that day, alleged that he said that he preferred to wear the same cloth because it is a designers.
“However, since that time, the younger brother of the defendant, his lawyer and sister have gone three times with materials for him to change but they refused collecting them.
“So bad was it that Ejiofor (another lawyer in the defence team, Ifeanyi) had to call the Director of Legal Services and complained to him. The Director told him that he would do something about it, that he would contact the Director of Operations to ensure that the order was carried out.

“So bad was it that Ejiofor (another lawyer in the defence team, Ifeanyi) had to call the Director of Legal Services and complained to him. The Director told him that he would do something about it, that he would contact the Director of Operations to ensure that the order was carried out.
Nation