The lawyer to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, on Thursday, said thousands of Igbo women and men are still in the detention facility of the State Security Service, SSS.
Ejiofor spoke to newsmen in Owerri, while reacting to a viral video on social media in connection with the exit of DSS DG, Yusuf Magaji Bichi.
He explained that; “I have been observing the overwhelming jubilation seen in this video among the personnel of the State Security Service following the announcement of the new Director General and the sudden removal of the former DG, Mr Yusuf Magaji Bichi, who held sway at the helms of affairs of the Service, since his appointment by Buhari administration on 14th September 2018, till his unceremonious resignation on August 26th, 2024.”
He alleged that; “The loud celebration marking the departure of this despot, signals the unceremonious end of an infamous tenure; an era marked by the most egregious violations of citizens’ civil rights, disregard for constitutional orders, and blatant contempt for the rule of law.
“Under his leadership, the institution was operated as an entity separate from those established, defined and recognised by our existing laws.
Also during his unpopular tenure, the Igbo people were particularly targeted, vilified, and subjected to enforced disappearances. Innocent individuals were ruthlessly hunted down, and many have been missing without a trace to this day.”
He recalled that; “Under Bichi’s watch, my PA- Samuel Okoro, was brutally murdered during a bloody invasion of my ancestral home, and three of my wards namely- Felix Okonkwo, Ikenna Chibuike and Okafor Lawrence Ugochukwu, were abducted in the dead of the night by those specifically assigned to carry out the hatchet assignment; they were briefly detained at the State Security Service headquarters in Abuja, and despite subsisting court orders, were secretly transferred to Wawa Barracks in Niger State, where they are currently held in solitary confinement in clear violation of successive orders of court.
It was his view that; “While I do not condone or support those who commit heinous crimes against humanity under any guise, I have always maintained that such criminals should be carefully identified and dealt with according to the law.
“Based on the reputable track record of the current DG, he appears to be a true democrat — tested, trusted, and deserving of support and encouragement from every quarter. Although it will require significant political will and courage to clean up the mess left by his predecessor, but the unprecedented jubilation among the personnel suggests that he will succeed and succeed overwhelmingly.
“As a member of the human rights community, I believe Mr Adeola Ajayi should receive the full cooperation, respect, and support necessary to succeed, especially during these challenging times when insecurity is rampant across all spectrums of the Nigerian state.”
