Arrested by the men of the Department of State Security (DSS) on October, 14 last year, Mr Kanu has been in detention since and the authorities have refused to release him despite his lawyers obtaining two court judgements granting him bail. Some of Mr Kanu's supporters have claimed he is being tortured, while his wife has publicly declared that her husband is ill and in need of urgent medical attention.
However, Mr Obetta said, “I would like to say that as a solicitor and advocate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I have sworn to an oath, to defend the defenceless and above all, to say the truth and be fair to all, at all material times. Having said that, I must add that I have been inundated with calls and I also read in several mediums, all manner of ruse about my client, that he has been tortured by the DSS, transferred to a more deadly cell and also that he has been critically ill.
“I am still wondering where such information came from. I can authoritatively say that apart from the British government‘s team that visited him last year, I am and have been the only one who has been privileged to have access, though limited, to him and all through my visits and there has not been any overt or covert situation pointing to a case of torture on him by the authority of the DSS.
"He is neither sick nor have fallen sick since his incarceration on the 14th October, 2015. During my last visit, 14th January, 2016, we had robust and cheerful discussions even with his captors and he was in good health, full of life and in high spirits contrary to the media reportage that he is being tortured, has been sick and broken."
He advised the media to do more in the area of investigative journalism before going public with stories. Mr Kanu is expected to appear in court later today but it is not clear if he will be freed on bail.
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