Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer breaks silence, alleges court bias

Lead counsel to detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, has broken his silence from custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre after what he described as a “questionable court proceeding” on Tuesday.

In a post shared on his official X page, Ejimakor said the Magistrate handling his case “refused to listen” to the defence and ordered that he and his colleagues be remanded till Friday.

“I am safe and sound but still under custody at Kuje prison. The Magistrate refused to listen to our submissions. He insisted on remanding us till Friday and got his way,” he wrote.

Ejimakor further claimed that the authorities deliberately bypassed several Magistrate courts in Abuja to have the case heard in Kuje.

“For context: keep in mind that they bypassed several Magistrate courts in town and headed to this one in Kuje,” he added.

According to police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin, eight individuals including Ejimakor and Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu were arrested for allegedly breaching a valid court order that banned protests near sensitive government sites.

Security forces reportedly used tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators during the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest, which paralysed major roads across Abuja on Monday.

Reacting to the incident, Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga criticised Ejimakor’s participation, saying a lawyer whose client’s case is still before a court should not be “engaging in street protests.”

“I spotted Aloy Ejimakor among the small group of protesters in Abuja. As a lawyer, he should be aware of the principle of sub judice,” Onanuga wrote on X.

He added that regulatory bodies, including the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, have been urged to review Ejimakor’s conduct for possible sanctions.

Ejimakor’s detention has further intensified public outcry over Kanu’s prolonged incarceration, with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), civil rights groups, and international observers calling on the Federal Government to obey court rulings ordering the IPOB leader’s release.