The Department of State Services (DSS) has refused to release Prince Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), despite the express order of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, News Express can report this afternoon.

Ruling on a case brought against Kanu by the Federal Government, Justice Adeniyi Ademola had on Thursday said it was illegal for the DSS to still be holding the separatist leader despite a court order to release him. He ordered that Kanu, whose arrest and detention since October has sparked protests across Nigeria and beyond, should be immediately released unconditionally.

Two days after, News Express can report that Kanu is still very much in the custody of DSS. “All efforts by his lawyer, Vincent Nnamdi Obetta, to convince DSS to release him have proved abortive,” a reliable source said.

The source said that Barrister Obetta left DSS Headquarters in Abuja disappointed yesterday. “Nnamdi was brought out of his cell and kept at the reception but was taken back late last night after 14 hours at the reception, despite his lawyer producing signed papers by Justice Ademola for his release.”

This, according to the source, followed an alleged call from President Muhammadu Buhari to the DSS directing that Kanu should be made to sign an undertaking to renounce the Biafra struggle before he could be released. “Kanu refused to sign the undertaking and his lawyer’s argument that the Justice Ademola said he should be released without condition fell on deaf ears. Kanu was consequently moved back to the cell after DSS officials announced that they planned to re-arraign him on the suspiscion of having committed treasonable felony,” the source said.

News Express reports that the Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, Shuaibu Usman, had earlier granted Kanu bail but DSS continued to keep him despite meeting the stringent conditions.

•Photo shows DSS DG Lawal Daura.