Mike Ozekhome, SAN, lead counsel for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has asked the Department of State Services to grant two medical doctors access to the IPOB leader, who is said to be suffering from an ear-related medical condition.
According to the lawyer, the demand became necessary because Kanu’s known medical doctor, Cfine Okorochukwu, is out of the country.
Ozekhome conveyed the request in a June 16 letter to the Director-General of the DSS, through the Director of Legal Department.
The letter was titled, “Request to allow the below medical doctors access to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, for a personal interface.”
He named the two preferred medical doctors as Dr Uche Ukwuije and Dr David Ukoha.
Ozekhome said his letter was sequel to a June 3, 2023 meeting with the DSS legal department and in-house medical personnel on Kanu’s health.
“It was agreed that our client’s medical doctor should be permitted to see him for an initial medical review before proceeding with the surgical procedure on his left ear at a date to be agreed upon.
“Our client’s known medical doctor- Dr. Cfine Okorochukwu, is presently out of the country, hence, the need to introduce new medical personnel of his choice.
“The said medical doctors need to personally meet with our client for a formal engagement, since he would be meeting them for the first time ever.
“It will be after this initial interface with our client that the doctors will revert to us before a date is scheduled for a formal meeting for the medical review with your in-house medical doctors.
“It is against the backdrop of the foregoing that we respectfully request that the herein named medical doctors, to wit: Dr. Uche Ukwuije and Dr. David Obasi Ukoha, be allowed access to our client, for a formal engagement meeting.”
According to Ozekhome, the two doctors have confirmed their availability for a visit to Kanu in DSS custody today, June 20 at 10am.
The IPOB leader has been in the DSS custody since 2021 following his arrest in Kenya and extradition to Nigeria.