The Nigerian government has filed revised seven-count terrorism charges against Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
According to Vanguard's investigation, all of the accusations against the IPOB leader that had previously been sustained by the trial court were included in the revised charge that was filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja with file number FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.
The Federal Government specifically alleged that Kanu, who is currently detained by the Department of State Service (DSS), had as a member of an illegal group issued a lethal threat that anyone who disobeyed his sit-at-home order in the Southeastern region of the country should write his or her will, in a broadcast that was heard and received throughout Nigeria.
It informed the court that because of the threat, banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, and fuel stations located in the Eastern States of Nigeria have continued to shut down their businesses, with both pedestrian and vehicular traffic grounded.
Nnamdi Kanu and Mohammadu Buhari
The Federal Government further claimed that between 2018 and 2021, the IPOB leader made broadcasts that were heard and received in Nigeria and incited people to kill and hunt down members of the Nigerian security forces and their families, violating Section 1(2)(h) of the 2013 Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act.
Further, it claimed that Kanu gave orders to IPOB members "to manufacture bombs," and that between March and April 2015, the defendant "imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubuluisiuzor in Ihiala local government area of Anambra state, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court a Radio Transmitter known as Tram 50L concealed in a container of used household items which you declared as used household items and you thereby committed an offense contrary to section 47 (2) (a) of Criminal Code Act Cap, C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004."
Kanu had earlier entered a not-guilty plea to these charges.
Trial Judge Binta Nyako has already set aside next Monday for both Kanu's legal team, led by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, and the prosecution counsel, to address the court regarding the next steps in the case.
The parties will argue whether the Federal Government could go ahead to re-arraign the IPOB leader on the modified charge in light of the Court of Appeal's October 13 decision exonerating him from all charges as well as appeals on the matter which are still pending before the Supreme Court.
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