Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu pleads ‘not guilty’ to seven-count charge

The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, had pleaded not guilty to a seven-count charge of terrorism, brought against him by the Nigerian government.

Kanu arrived in court on Thursday morning for the continuation of his trial.

The federal government recently amended the charges against him raising them to seven counts as against the five counts he was previously answering to.

When the charges were read to him, Kanu pleaded not guilty.

Count one of the charge reads 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 reads: ”That on the 16th of May , 2021 in London, United Kingdom within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court 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 Nigerian government had arrested Kanu in 2017 but Justice Binta Nayko of an Abuja Federal High Court granted him bail.

Kanu, however, jumped the bail and fled Nigeria.

The IPOB leader claimed that he fled Nigeria due to an attempt on his life by the Nigerian Army.

However, Kanu was rearrested in July in Kenya and repatriated to Nigeria to continue his trial.