Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the 15 Count Charges bordering on Terrorism, POLITICS NIGERIA reports.
This was as the federal government brought documentary evidence to court.
The electronic devices were inspected by the lead counsel to the Federal Government of Nigeria, Shuaib Labaran.
Kanu was first arrested in 2015 but disappeared while on bail in April 2017.
His social media posts during his absence and his Radio Biafra broadcasts outraged the government, which said they encouraged attacks on security forces.
Security agents first produced him in court in Abuja on June 29, 2021 after detaining him in an undisclosed country.
His lawyer alleged he was detained and mistreated in Kenya, though Kenya has denied involvement. He has since that time appeared in court severally.
Kanu’s IPOB is agitating for the seccession and sovereignty of Eastern Nigeria. It accuse the federal government of marginalisation.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Wednesday protested the refusal of the Department of State Services, DSS, to allow some lawyers access into the Abuja Federal High Court.
DSS brought Kanu into the court at about 9:52 am.
The secret police had barred lawyers, journalists, and traditional rulers from entering the court building as his trial resumed.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused to grant the request for the transfer of leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, from the Department of States Services facility to the Nigerian Correctional Centre.
Kanu had pleaded not guilty to a seven-count amended terrorism charges filed against him by the federal government at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
After taking his plea, his lawyers led by Ifeanyi Ejiofor told Justice Binta Nyako that he had an application seeking his transfer from the facility of the Department of States Services to the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Kuje.
But the application was denied.
It was earlier reported that Kanu’s lawyer had objected to the seven counts preferred against his client.
Subsequently, Justice Binta Nyako adjourned to November 10 to hear the objection.
Ejiofor had said that his client needed to leave the DSS custody so that they could have unrestricted access to him.
After the court rose, the DSS whisked him away from a side entrance of the court.
There is a thick cordon of security around the Federal High Court Abuja ahead of the rearraignment of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
The WHISTLER observed the presence of over 65 security operatives and not less than 10 patrol vehicles stationed around the court.
The operatives comprise of the Department of States Services, Nigeria Police, Civil Defense and the court’s security officials.
The DSS operatives are fully armed while anti-riot Police came with shields.
One of the DSS officials explained to newsmen that the barricade was “necessary”.
Reporters are yet to be allowed into the court premises as of the time of this report.
Recall that Kanu was formerly being tried on alleged treasonable felony charges.
But the federal government filed an amended seven count charges bordering on terrorism, insulting the president, treason, amongst other things.
The seven count charge reads :
Count One:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male adult of Afaraukwu lbeku Umahia North Local Government Area of Abia State 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 Two:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area ot Abia State, on or about the 28th April, 2015 in London, United Kingdom did broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu State and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, referred to Major General Muhammadu Buhari, GCON, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a paedophile, a terrorist, an idiot and an embodiment of evil, knowing same to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C. 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Count Three:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male adult of Afaraukwu lbeku Umahia North Local Government Area of Abia State between the month of March and April 2015 imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulusiuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court , a Radio transmitter known as TRAM 50L concealed in a container of used household which you declared as used household items and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 47 (2) of the Criminal Code of Act ,Cap C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count Four:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult. of Afaraukwu iIbeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State in London, United Kingdom between 2018 and 2021 Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu State and FCT, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, professed to be a member of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed organisation in Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16 Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act.
Count Five:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on the 22th of April, 2021 in London, United Kingdom on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu State and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did an act of terrorism in that you incite the other members (followers) of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB}, a proscribed organisation in Nigeria, to look for security personnel, their family members through a Radio Biafra on 102.1FM monitored through the IPOB Community Radio and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act.
Count Six:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia Stale on the 16thh of May, 2021, in London, United Kingdom within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an act in furtherance of an act of terrorism by making a broadcast that “In 2 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) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.
Count Seven:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on the 31st of May, 2021, in London, United Kingdom within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did an act in furtherance of an act of terrorism by issuing a deadly threat that anyone who flouted your sit-at-home order should “write his/her will,” as a result banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, fuel stations were not opened for businesses and vehicular movements grounded and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.”
Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist, has told the Federal Government, to produce Nnamdi Kanu in court today, Thursday.
It will be recalled that the Department of State Services (DSS) failed to produce the Biafra separatist leader in court last time out, and many supporters of the 54-year-old are calling on the government to ensure Kanu appears in court today — for them to be sure he is alive.
Kanu’s organization, the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is a controversial group canvassing for the sovereignty of Eastern Nigeria, and Kanu has always run into trouble with Nigerian authorities.
“#FreeNnamdiKanu today asking for self-determination is not a crime! In particular, the Federal Govt must produce him in court early this morning #RevolutionNow,” Sowore wrote on his official Facebook page on Thursday morning.
Recall this newspaper reported earlier that the Federal Government slammed an amended seven-count charge against Kanu, while the Federal High Court issued a hearing notice for Thursday.
The notice titled “Federal Republic of Nigeria Versus Nnamdi Kanu” with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/15, was served on Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor and the prosecuting lawyer, Shuaibu Labaran.
Kanu is being tried on charges of treasonable felony.
A trial notice has been issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja on the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu in the treasonable felony charges filed by the Federal Government.
The trial notice entitled “Federal Republic of Nigeria Versus Nnamdi Kanu” was marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/15 and served on Kanu’s lawyer, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor and that of the Federal Government Mr Shuaib Labaran.
The trial notice was issued following the resumption of the charges levelled against the IPOB leader.
The court in the notice instructed the lawyers involved in the case things to put in place ahead of the proceeding.
The IPOB leader is expected to be arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako.
The notice reads “This case will be transferred from the General Cause List to the hearing paper for Thursday 21st October 2021at 9 o’clock forenoon and will come on to be on that day if the business of the court permits or otherwise on some adjustment day of which you will receive no further notice.
“If either party desires to postpone the hearing, he must apply to the court as soon as possible for that purpose and if the application is based on any matter of fact, he must be prepared to give proof of those facts.
“The parties are warned that at the hearing, they are required to bring forward all the evidence by witnesses or by documents which each of them desires to rely on in support of his case and in contradiction of that of his opponent.
“The proof will be required at the hearing and not on a subsequent day, and parties failing to bring their evidence forward at the proper time may find themselves absolutely precluded from adducing it at all, or at best only allowed to do so on payment of substantial costs to the other side, and such other terms as the court fits to impose.
“Parties desirous to enforce the attendance of witnesses should apply at once to the court to issue one or more summonses for the attendance of the witnesses required.
“It is indispensable that the application should be made to allow time for reasonable notice to the witnesses required.
“If the witness is required to bring books or papers, they must be particularized in the summons sufficiently to enable him to understand what is meant.
”Any party summoning a witness through the court thereby becomes liable to pay such witness reasonable sum of money to be fixed by the court for his expense and loss of time.
“The court may refuse to enforce the attendance of a witness unless such sum has been fixed and deposited in the court.
“If either party desires to use in evidence at the hearing, any book or document in the possession or power of the other party, he must give the other party, reasonable notice in writing to produce It at the hearing, failing which he will not be allowed to give any secondary evidence of its contents.”
We Used Our Spiritual Powers To Send Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho To Jail – Miyetti Allah Brags
The National Secretary, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Saleh Alhassan, has said the group used it’s spiritual powers to send Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho to jail.
IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu and Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho, who were vocal against the activities of Fulani Herdsmen are currently languishing in detention in Nigeria and Benin Republic respectively.
Speaking to the SUN on what Miyetti Allah is doing to ensure their members do not run foul of the Anti-Open Grazing Law, which is spreading in the southern part of the country, Alhassan stated that the group is deploying various strategies.
The Fulani herdsman listed such strategies to include legal actions, lobbying the national assembly, dialoguing with governors and deploying spiritual means.
He said: “We are taking a number of actions as regards this development. Number one, we are taking legal action against the states both at local court and international court. We are equally applying political and spiritual solutions.
“We are already lobbying the National Assembly and the executive arm of the government to stop the governors. The National Assembly should perform its constitutional responsibility of protecting every citizen of this country, including the herdsmen and their business of herding.
“We are equally lobbying the executive arm of government to do the needful by creating options for the herders through budgetary allocations, creation of ministry for livestock and fishery. The National Assembly should pass the bill that has been there, lying fallow; these are the political options we are taking.
“And then, we are sending a very strong negotiating team to some of these governors because they may have been ill-informed about the security situations in their states. Let them look at the realities. There is no any space that cannot be governed in this country with GPR technology.
“We are equally exploring spiritual option that is why Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho are in jail while those sponsoring them are there in the hospital.”
The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been apprehended by the federal government, News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami announced this on Tuesday in Abuja, according to NAN
Mr Kanu, who left the country mysteriously after Nigerian soldiers attacked his country in Abia State had been under prosecution by the federal government for treason.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, has slammed the Northern groups for placing a bounty on Nnamdi Kanu’s whereabouts.
DAILY POST had reported that 17 Northern groups under the aegis of Northern Consensus Movement (NCM) on Thursday declared Kanu wanted over the killings and destruction of properties owned by Northerners in the Southeast.
The President of the group, Dr Auwal Abdullahi, while addressing a press conference, also placed a N100m bounty on Kanu.
Reacting, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in a statement by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro on Friday, faulted the move and accused the warring factions in the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders and Islamic terror organizations of being behind the killings and destruction of properties in the southeast region.
The group called on the Northern groups to place their N100 million bounty on Miyetti Allah and the slain Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau’s successor whom it alleged had foisted heavy havoc on the citizens.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, however, dismissed the claim that northerners are being killed in the southeast, maintaining that there had not been any killing of northerners recorded anywhere in the region as it further accused the northern groups of embarking on a mission to thwart the ambition of the southeast zone in producing President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor come 2023.
The Igbo organization said, “we would not want to join issues with faceless groups that are not known in the north but in as much as that they are making some attempts to cause crisis in the country by ensuring that the groups not only placing a bounty on Nnamdi Kanu over alleged killings, they are out to escalate the tension in the country.
“For the purpose of record and from the last time, there had not been any killing, except the accidental killing of Ahmed Gulak in Owerri. There had not been killing recorded anywhere in the southeast about northern people except some nefarious activities of unknown gunmen and killer Fulani herdsmen who had been attacking police stations and government facilities and killing both Igbos and indigenes from other parts of the country.
“We want to tell the groups being sponsored by some northern presidential aspirants to place the bounty on the new leader of Boko Haram terrorist group, that had just emerged after the death of Shekau. Nnamdi Kanu has an address in London or in Germany where his headquarters of IPOB is. There is no need of searching for Kanu. He is not in Nigeria, he has an address in London as a British citizen. They should just use the N100 million bounty given to them by northern politicians, who are trying to destabilize the southeast to have easy root for the 2023 presidential ticket of major political parties in Nigeria, especially of the PDP.
“They should place the bounty on Shekau’s successor who has no address, who is living in the forest, the terrorist group that took arms against the government for the last six years. They should not cry more than the bereaved, we will take care of the southeast and ensure normalcy returns. As far as we are concerned, that bounty is inconsequential and political. It is not necessary, only a means to continue to heat up tension in the polity”.
![Drama As Nnamdi Kanu Confronts DSS Officials For Denying Lawyers Access Into Abuja Court [Video]](https://www.societygazetteng.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/images-5-3.jpeg)
