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Nnamdi Kanu pleads not guilty to seven counts bordering on terrorism
By Rasaq Adebayo
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been re-arraigned at a Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of terrorism.
The Federal Government had recently amended the charges against Kanu from five to seven to include treasonable felony.
When the charges were read to him, he pleaded not guilty.
Count one of the charges read: “That Kanu, being the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on diverse dates in 2014 and 2015 in London, United Kingdom, did broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu and other areas within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, preparations made by you and others now at large, for states in the South-East and South-South zones and other communities in Kogi and Benue states to secede from the federal republic of Nigeria with a view to constituting same into the Republic of Biafra and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 41(c) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP. C77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
Count six of the amended charge read: ”That on the 16th of May, 2021 in London, the United Kingdom within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court you did commit and act in furtherance if an act of terrorism by making a broadcast that “in two weeks’ time, what will happen will shake the world, people will die, the whole world will stand still mark my word” and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.”
The court, however, adjourned the case to November 10, 2021, for the continuation of the hearing.
Kanu, who was re-arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja said he was innocent of all the allegations levelled against him by the Federal Government after the charge was read to him in the open court.
His re-arraignment came on a day the Department of State Services (DSS), blatantly refused to allow even a single journalist inside the courtroom.
In June, Kanu was arrested abroad and brought to Nigeria after the Nigerian Army allegedly made him to jump bail and fled to the United Kingdom in 2017.
He has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since the day of his arrest.
