THE leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has filed contempt charge against the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Bichi, over his alleged refusal to obey court orders.
Kanu, through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, on Monday, June 10, filed Form 49, titled, ‘Notice to Show Cause Why An Order Of Committal Should Not Be Made,’ at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The application, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, is dated and filed on June 10, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria listed as complainant/1st respondent and Bichi as 2nd respondent/contemnor.
The IPOB leader alleged that despite being served with the orders of the trial Judge, Justice Binta Nyako of a FHC in Abuja, made on May 20, Bichi had refused to comply with the said orders.
Recall that Justice Nyako had on May 20 declined to grant an application filed by Kanu to set aside his 2017 bail revocation, following the allegation that he jumped bail.
The Judge also refused his request to be transferred to Kuje Correctional Centre or place him under house arrest.
However, Justice Nyako reviewed conditions for visiting the IPOB leader at the DSS facility by his lawyers, varying the visitation days from two to three days in a week and ordering that Kanu should be given a safe and “clean” room to prepare for his defence, with his team of lawyers, not exceeding five in number, instead of three lawyers, as formerly directed.
She also ordered that Kanu and his lawyers should be allowed such a facility that is required for the preparation of his defence and be allowed to take notes.
But in the recent application, Kanu alleged that the DSS director general had failed to abide by the orders, adding that Kanu would be applying to the court for an order for Bichi’s committal to prison for having disobeyed the May 20 order of the court.
This is based on the premise that: “You have not complied with the 3 (three) days per week visitation to the Applicant as was ordered by the court.
“You have not provided a safe and ‘clean’ room to the Applicant at the present facility to prepare for his defense with his team of counsel.
“You have not allowed such facility that is required for the preparation of the Applicant’s defence, which facility you have disallowed on every visitation since the said order was entered, as set out below:
“Interdiction, seizure, perusal and photocopying of legal documents relating to the trial preparation of the Applicant.
“By not retracing your steps after you were, on the 31st day of May 2024, served with a Form 48; Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court.
“AND TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that you are hereby required to attend the court on the first-mentioned day to show cause why an Order for your Committal should not be made.”
