The family of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has announced the termination of the services of Kanu’s lead counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, and Ifeanyi Ejiofor.
In a statement released by Kanu’s younger brother, Kanunta Kanu, and shared on Twitter, the family cited reasons for the dismissal, including Ozekhome’s alleged refusal to allow Kanu’s personal physicians to access him for an urgent ear surgery.
The statement, titled “Notice of Dismissal,” emphasized that the services of both lawyers were no longer required in Kanu’s case pending before the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
According to the family, after Kanu’s court appearance on May 11, 2023, Professor Mike Ozekhome allegedly refused to visit his client at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja, despite multiple messages from Kanu requesting to see him.
The family also accused Ozekhome and Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor of preventing medical doctors from examining Kanu on June 5, despite being duly informed on June 2 and Kanu instructing them to arrange for the examination.
Due to these reasons and others, the family announced the dismissal of Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, and Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor as counsels for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The Kanu family expressed appreciation for the time and efforts of the dismissed lawyers and requested that they hand over the legal documents associated with the case as soon as possible.
