Right Reverend Ikechukwu Egbuonu, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Oji River in Enugu State, has expressed concern over the health and legal challenges facing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), following his recent visit to the agitator at the Sokoto Correctional Facility.
Speaking in an interview with AIT, Bishop Egbuonu said Kanu complained about a worsening heart condition and raised fears about his ability to effectively pursue his appeal due to the long distance between Abuja and Sokoto.
The Bishop explained that Kanu insisted he ought to be in Abuja to reconcile his records with the High Court before filing his appeal, noting that without this process, the Court of Appeal cannot entertain his case. Kanu reportedly expressed worry that he has only a 90-day window to perfect his appeal but has not received any directive for his temporary transfer to Abuja.
“He was not happy that no signal had been given to bring him to Abuja to reconcile those documents and return him to Sokoto,” the Bishop said.
Egbuonu added that Kanu was also distressed over limited access to his legal team. He said the IPOB leader complained about difficulties communicating with his lawyers regarding some filings and issues under contention.
On reports suggesting Kanu had sacked his lawyers, the Bishop clarified that the claim was false. “No, he didn’t sack his lawyers,” he said. “He only chose to defend himself in this case and retained the lawyers as consultants. They were still working with him — one of his lawyers even arrived with me during the visit.”
Despite the challenges, Bishop Egbuonu noted that Kanu appeared calm and composed in custody.
