Nnamdi Kanu pleads not guilty to FG’s seven-count amended terrorism charge

The self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday, pleaded not guilty to the seven-count terrorism charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.

The IPOB leader is also challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter on the grounds that the alleged offences were committed in the United Kingdom and not in Nigeria.

Counsel to Kanu, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, made the disclosure shortly after his re-arraignment before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Kanu, who was, in June this year re-arrested in Kenya and extradited to the country to face his trial, was first arrested in a Lagos Hotel in 2015 by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) and was arraigned alongside four others in 2016.

At Thursday’s re-arraignment, Kanu was spotted wearing a white Fendi designer clothe and was ushered into the courtroom at exactly 10 am by security operatives and took his fresh plea to the amended charges at about 10:45 am, to which he pleaded not guilty, just like the earlier charges.

Although Kanu’s counsel had requested that he be transferred to the custody of the Correctional Service Center, the judge declined to grant the request on the grounds that it would be in the interest of Kanu to remain with the DSS.

Meanwhile, Justice Nyako had adjourned till November 10, 2021, for a hearing of Kanu’s application challenging the court’s jurisdiction to try him as well as the competence of the charge slammed against him by the Federal Government.

Among the issues raised in Kanu’s notice of preliminary objection filed before the court are that the said charge did not in any way link him to the alleged offences which were also said to be committed in the United Kingdom amongst others.

In a related development, the Ohaneze Indigbo had accused the Federal Government of conducting a secret trial in the issue of Nnamdi Kanu.

Chief Godwin Uwazurike, who spoke alongside the former governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said that the socio-cultural group condemns the trial in its entirety because they were barred from covering the proceedings.

Similarly, the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, also condemned the action of the Federal Government, claiming that as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he ought not to be barred from witnessing the proceedings.

He lamented that even after filing a case in the matter, he was still denied access to the courtroom.

Meanwhile, journalists covering the court, although allowed entry into the court premises were however prevented from entering court two, where the proceedings were been held.

Judiciary correspondents in a bid to give detailed coverage of the proceedings had got to the court as early as 6 am to ensure easy access but their efforts turned out to be unrewarding as they were barred entrance to the courtroom by heavily armed security personnel.

As at the last adjournment on July 26, 2021, there was an altercation between the operatives of the DSS and journalists, following the refusal to allow journalists access to cover the proceedings.

One of the DSS operatives whose identity could not be ascertained had claimed that they are awaiting directives from the trial judge on how many journalists should be allowed to go in and cover the proceedings.

He said: “The instruction we have is that journalists should stay in their press centre from where they would be screened to go in to cover the proceedings after getting clearance from the trial judge.”

While the trial was going on on the 5th floor, journalists were not allowed to move out of their press centre, located on the ground floor.

Count three of the charge reads, “that you Nnamdi Kanu, male adult of Afarachukwu, lbeku Umahia North Local Government Area of Abia State between the month of March and April 2015 imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulusizor 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 the 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.”

He was accused in count six of allegedly committing 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.

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