[Press Release] Pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has challenged the Department of State Services (DSS) not to enforce any kind of limitations and loss of privacy on the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu just as the Rights group said it behoves the Federal High Court, Abuja division, to ensure that the DSS is not impeding the right of NNAMDI Kanu to defend himself in an UNFETTERED manner.
Cockroaches are secretly poisoning indoor air
HURIWA said it was also bothered by speculation in the media that the executive branch of government has mounted pressure on the Federal High Court to stiffle NNAMDI Kanu’s rights to adequate defence so as to arrive at a predetermined severe sanction of the death penalty.
HURIWA said any attempt to execute Mazi NNAMDI Kanu just for exercising his fundamental human right to freedom of expression and the rights embedded in the International Covenant on Human and Peoples Rights to canvass for legal self determination would be considered as a brutal extraconstitutional measure and would instigate popular revolts in the South East of Nigeria and thereby complicate the already tensed security atmosphere in Igboland.
“We hope the speculation of a plot to sentence Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to death or life term, remains a huge misinformation because of the far-reaching implications it will have for the security and well-being of the people of the South-East of Nigeria. The Federal High Court must ensure that justice is done and seen to have been done by compelling the officers of the Department of State Services to allow the unlawfully detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra to have his full right to defend the charges the government has framed against him”.
HURIWA said it was worried that the family of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has alleged that the Department of State Services (DSS), “is deliberately stopping him from preparing his defence in court”, warning that this ugly development might result in his absence in court on Friday.
This was contained in a statement issued by Price Emmanuel Kanu on Thursday night, on behalf of the family.
The family called on the international community to urge Nigeria to stop violating Kanu’s right to a fair hearing.
Efforts to elicit a response from the DSS were unsuccessful, as some personnel of the Department of State Services did not speak with reporters.
Below is a full text of the statement made available to the media in Umuahia, Abia state: “The family of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), wishes to inform the public and the international community that the Department of State Services (DSS) is deliberately stopping him from preparing his defence in court.
“In the last few days, the DSS has made it almost impossible for Mazi Kanu to have proper access to his lawyers, family members, and key witnesses. The DSS has also refused to allow him to file the court documents he needs for his case, which is scheduled for Friday, 7 November 2025.
Due to these actions, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu may not be able to appear in court on Friday, not because he does not want to, but because he has been denied the opportunity to prepare and defend himself.
“How DSS is blocking his fair hearing:
The DSS has been doing the following:
Stopping his visitors, including family members, lawyers, and recording his meetings with lawyers & family, instead of allowing private and free discussion as required by law.
“Refusing to give him access to a computer and printer necessary for the preparation of his processes and blocking him from filing his own court papers.
“Declining to take him to the court registry to submit the documents he intends to use for his defence.
These actions are in violation of the Nigerian Constitution and basic human rights. Every accused person has the right to facilities to help him prepare adequately and to interact freely with their lawyers, family, witnesses, prepare for court, and defend themselves — but the DSS is stopping Mazi Kanu from doing so.
HURIWA condemns the reported denial of the right of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to defend himself and therefore asked the Federal High Court not to allow the Department of State Services to disallow the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra to have unimpeded access to materials and information from his team of lawyers so he can mount vigorous defence against the charges slammed on him by the Federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We are appealing to the Director General of the Department of State Services to continue to demonstrate his willingness to adhere strictly to the principles of the Rule of law by ensuring that his foot soldiers are not in the illegal habit of denying Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of all his constitutionally guaranteed rights to fair hearing given that section 36(5) of the Constitution states that “Accused persons are innocent in the eyes of the law until a contrary determination is reached”, just as HURIWA reminded the DSS that under section 6 of the Constitution the courts of competent jurisdiction such as the Federal High Court has the judicial powers of the Federation to adjudicate over all matters both criminal and civil before the court by defendants as presented by the prosecutors.
“The defendant been Mazi Nnamdi Kanu must never be denied of his right to vigorously defend himself from the allegations framed before the court of law against his person by the federal government.”
e-Signed
COMRADE EMMANUEL NNADOZIE ONWUBIKO,
NATIONAL COORDINATOR,
HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA). FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7TH 2025.
Stay ahead with the latest updates! Join The ConclaveNG on WhatsApp and Telegram for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
 has challenged the Department){kind=link}