Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, has raised alarm over the use of his name by fraudsters to extort money from the general public for the trial of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Ozekhome in a press release on Saturday, said his law firm is prosecuting Kanu’s case, not for money but to see that his rights are respected by the Federal Government.
Ozekhome said, “My attention has just been drawn to the criminal and unauthorized use of my name and that of my chambers in the social media and other platforms by unscrupulous societal miscreants and criminal elements in soliciting for funds allegedly for the prosecution of Nnamdi Kanu’s cases that we are presently handling.
“The general public is hereby alerted that, I, as the lead counsel for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader and founder of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), or my chambers, have never and will never in any way authorize anyone, whether as an individual, group of persons, corporate bodies, or authorities, to solicit for funds for me, or on my behalf, or on behalf of my chambers, for the purpose of prosecuting the cases of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, or for any other purpose howsoever and whatsoever. Anyone giving out money on my behalf or in my name, or chambers’ name, allegedly for the prosecution of the cases of Nnamdi Kanu, does so at his or her own risk and peril.
“Neither I, as the lead counsel to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, nor anyone else working with me in my team on the matters, will ever approach anyone, or donors, or corporate bodies (whether local or international), either through social media, or by any other channel howsoever, to solicit for funds for the prosecution of Nnamdi Kanu’s cases, under any guise, artifice, design, or circumstances howsoever. Anyone doing so is a fraudster and criminal element and should be treated as such. Such persons when caught (as they surely will if they continue), will be visited with the full weight of the law. Similarly, anyone caught donating money to such fraudsters and criminal elements allegedly on our behalf will be traced and made to face the full wrath of the law. Sooner than later!
“Members of the general public are hereby strongly advised and cautioned to desist from ever giving any money to fraudsters and impostors soliciting for funds in the name of Nnamdi Kanu’s cases, as neither Nnamdi Kanu, nor our chambers, as his lawyers, will ever approach members of the public through the social media, or any other channel, for the solicitation of funds for the alleged prosecution of Nnamdi Kanu’s case. We have never done so! We are not doing so!! We will never do so!!!
“The security agencies are hereby put on notice to arrest and prosecute anyone or group of persons found to be engaging in the solicitation for funds in the name of Chief Mike A. A. Ozekhome, SAN, CON, OFR, FCIArb, PhD, LLD, D. Litt, his chambers; or, in the name of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, allegedly for the prosecution of Nnamdi Kanu’s cases. Such an act is a criminal offence that attracts serious penal consequences. We are involved in Nnamdi Kanu’s case, not for monies or any financial considerations; but solely to redress the brazen and serial state-sponsored violation of his rights as a person; and those of his non-violent IPOB, as an organization.
“No amount of simulated blackmail, intimidation, harassment, sophistry, or posturing by sponsored fraudsters, criminal elements and those who would wish that Nnamdi Kanu perpetually remains in government gulag will deter us from pursuing our mission, focus and goal to set Nnamdi Kanu free. AND FREE HE SHALL BE, by the Grace of Almighty God.”
