IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu's Former Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Collapses in Kuje Prison Amid Bail Denial

IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu's Former Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Collapses in Kuje Prison Amid Bail Denial In a shocking development tha...

IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu's Former Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Collapses in Kuje Prison Amid Bail Denial

In a shocking development that has sparked widespread concern among human rights advocates and legal circles, Aloy Ejimakor, former legal counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, collapsed in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja today. The incident occurred just 24 hours after a magistrate court denied his bail application, intensifying fears over the health and treatment of political detainees in Nigeria's justice system.

Eyewitness accounts from prison staff and legal observers describe Ejimakor's condition as rapidly deteriorating. Upon regaining consciousness, the lawyer recounted being unable to sit upright or stand, requiring immediate attention from nurses at the facility's clinic. "I couldn't move; it felt like my body just gave out," Ejimakor reportedly shared in a brief statement relayed through intermediaries. As of this evening, he remains under medical observation within the prison, with no official updates on his exact diagnosis or transfer to an external hospital.

The collapse has been attributed by supporters to the cumulative stress of prolonged detention, inadequate facilities, and the emotional toll of the ongoing legal battles for Kanu's release. Legal experts have raised alarms about potential lapses in medical intervention, calling for an independent health assessment to ensure Ejimakor's well-being.

Ejimakor's detention stems from his participation in the FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest on October 20, 2025, organized by human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore. The demonstration, held in Abuja, demanded the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, who has been held since 2021 on charges of treasonable felony despite multiple court rulings in his favor, including a 2022 Supreme Court order quashing the charges.

Alongside Ejimakor, 12 others—including Kanu's younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu were arrested by Nigerian police during the event. Protesters alleged they were tear-gassed, beaten, and initially held at the notorious Special Anty-Robbery Squad (SARS) facility known as "Abattoir" before being transferred to Kuje. On October 21, they were arraigned before Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id at the Kuje Magistrate Court on charges related to public disturbance and violating a court order restricting protests near government buildings.

The court initially remanded the group in Kuje Prison on October 22, but by October 24, bail was granted to all 13 defendants, including Ejimakor and Sowore, at ₦500,000 each. However, the presiding magistrate refused to endorse Ejimakor's bail bond on October 24, citing procedural irregularities, leaving him as the sole detainee. This decision has been decried as "selective persecution" by IPOB supporters and human rights groups.

Family Writers Press International.