The Department of State Services ( DSS ) has boasted that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the arrested leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, is being treated as a very important person in its custody, despite assertions by the group’s leadership that he is being denied basic needs.

Dr. Peter Afunanya, the DSS’s Public Relations Officer, made the clarification at an international news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

Afunanya stated that, contrary to IPOB’s accusations, Kanu is given everything he requires and has never been denied a change of clothes or the right to practice his faith.

He said, “On IPOB and the alleged ill-treatment of its detained leader, the Service has, without any fear of contradiction, applied restraint in making public statements over the matter. The reason is simply because it avoids joining issues especially over a matter that is sub-judice. But for the sake of transparency and democratic accountability, the Service has decided to make some clarifications.

“The Service denies all the inciting allegations by IPOB and states that Nnamdi Kanu is not, in any way, maltreated in custody. Accusations of maltreatment negate the Service’s Standard Operation Procedure on the implementation of rights of a suspect.

“Nnamdi Kanu enjoys full luxury in the holding facility incomparable to any of its type anywhere in the country. He is accorded full rights and privileges. He is never denied his right of worship or freedom from his select religious practice.

“Adequate attention is paid to Kanu’s health. He has unhindered access to the best medical care and doctors. Kanu, himself, has confirmed to his visitors that the Service has never, in any way, maltreated him. He even confirmed this to the quartet of Senators Ike Ekweremadu and Enyinnaya Abaribe; Bishop Sunday Onuoha of the Methodist Church, Nigeria, and Co-Chair, Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace and Ambassador Okechukwu Emuchay, MFR, Secretary-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who saw him on Wednesday, 8th December 2021.

“The story of Kanu being starved is fallacious. He could not have been starved as he enjoys meals of his choice. That he is not allowed a change of clothing is also false. He is regularly allowed change of clothing as against what is presented to the public by IPOB propagandists. Assuming he is being maltreated, how come his visitors told him he was looking well? All the allegations of violation of his rights as a suspect, victimization, and starvation among others are not true.

“It is unfortunate that some elements have decided to use outright misinformation to represent the state of affairs. Those who make these false stories do so to attract undue attention for the singular purpose of achieving a desired end.

“Rather than focus on how he should get justice, Kanu’s legal team and some mischievous elements among them have chosen to use fake news to mislead the public. While the Court in its wisdom ordered that Kanu be remanded in the safer DSS Custody, some of his legal representatives, for reasons best known to them, preferred Kuje Prison and have failed to explain the rationale for such choice.

“It may interest the public to note that a particular lawyer among Kanu’s Team is feasting on the matter such that one can conclude that his interest is beyond getting justice for his client. Be that as it may, the Court has the final say on the matter.