Nnamdi Kanu, tendered an
apology for his comment against Buhari and others in a statement which he made
to the DSS on October 23rd 2015.
The founder and leader of
Radio Biafra,Kanu, who has been charged along with two others by the Federal
Government before a Federal High Court in Abuja on six counts of treason and
other ancillary offences, said he intended to write a private letter to Buhari
to express his apology to the President.
He also apologised to
former President Goodluck Jonathan and Igbo elders for “some uncomplimentary
things” he said about them.
The 48-year-old pro-Biafran
agitation leader, who is, however, unapologetic about his demand for a Republic
of Biafra, has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since
his arrest in Lagos on October 14, 2015.
The prosecution, in its
summary of the case, alleged that in one of the radio broadcasts by Kanu on
August 1, 2015, he expressed his resolve to actualise the Republic of Biafra
and “cast aspersions on the person and the office of the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
The statement read in part,
“Reference to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a terrorist,
evil and a paedophile is regrettable and uncalled for and for that, I
unreservedly apologise and will be doing so in a private letter to the
President.
“Before PMB (President
Muhammadu Buhari) there was the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. I also
said uncomplimentary things about him and Igbo elders as well, which I now
recognise should not have happened because it is un-African to be rude or
insolent to elders.
“All I was trying to do is
to draw attention to the problems afflicting society and something done about
them.”
Kanu, who described himself
as a Nigerian and a British citizen, justified his agitation for a Biafra
Republic.
He said IPOB’s secessionist
agenda was informed by the “incessant hardship, lack of holistic development in
the socio-economic landscape of Nigeria, lack of youth employment, corruption
in high offices and economic regression.”
He added that the agitation
by IPOB, which, according to him, was founded in London in 2012 by a group of
people from the South-South and South-East regions of the country, was in line
with the United Nations Charter on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ratified by
African countries, including Nigeria.
In contrast to the counts
of managing and assisting in the management of an unlawful society preferred
against Kanu and two others, the Radio Biafra founder stated that IPOB, which
the prosecution described as unlawful, was registered with the UN to pursue the
rights of the people of Biafra.
He stated, “I can confirm
that I, Nnamdi Kanu, is the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra worldwide as
a legitimately and duly registered body at the United Nations pursuing the
rights of a specific indigenous people, in this case, Biafra, to seek self determination
according to the said charter.
“The reason for the
formation of the Indigenous People of Biafra is to avail those referring to
themselves as Biafrans the opportunity made available as a result of the United
Nations declaration to seek the peaceful rebirth of Biafra in line with
international law.”
Kanu, who is a son of a
traditional ruler in Abia State, Sir I.O. Kanu, said he operated Radio Biafra,
whose programmes “are designed to wake up the public from its slumber and
address the issues of the time” because of his belief in free speech and
freedom of expression.
He explained that the
intended Biafra Republic comprised Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Cross
River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states as well the Igbanke part of
Edo State; Igala part of Kogi State and Idoma/Igede part of Edo State.
Apart from Kanu, one of the
two other defendants in the six counts filed by the Federal Government is a
Field Maintenance Engineer, David Nwawuisi, charged with the responsibility of
maintaining MTN masts in Enugu State.
The other defendant,
Benjamin Madubugwu, was said to be living in the Ubilisiuzo, Ihiala Local
Government Area of Anambra State, where he allegedly received custody of a
container, housing transmitters, from Kanu.
On December 23 during the
accused persons’ appearance in court for their scheduled arraignment, Kanu
refused to take his plea due to what he called his lack of confidence in the
presiding judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
The judge promptly returned
the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim
Auta, for reassignment to another judge and the three accused persons were
returned to the custody of the Department of State Services.
The fresh charges were
filed against the three men barely 24 hours after Justice Adeniyi Ademola, in a
ruling on Kanu’s bail application on December 17, ordered his unconditional
release from DSS custody having been detained for about two months without any
valid charges filed against him.
Punch
Punch
Apology my foot
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