Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, has queried the competence of amended five-count treasonable charge the Federal Government lodged against him and four other pro-Biafra agitators-Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawuisi and Bright Chimezie- before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu and his co-defendants are expected to enter their fresh plea to the amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, before trial Justice Binta Nyako, on October 17.
Whereas the original charge had only four defendants, with Kanu as the 1st accused person, FG, through the Department of Public Prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice, amended the case to include Chimezie who was alleged to have between the months of March and April, 2015, imported into Nigeria, a Radio transmitter known as TRAM 50L.
FG alleged that the transmitter was concealed in a container that was declared as used household items, contrary to section 47(2) (a) of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Aside the inclusion of the 5th defendant in the case, particulars of allegations FG levelled against Kanu and the three other pro-Biafra agitators remained unchanged.
Specifically, FG alleged in count-one of the amended charge, that Kanu and his co-defendants, as well as other persons currently at large, “on diverse dates in 2014 and 2015 in Nigeria and London, United Kingdom, did conspire amongst yourselves to broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu and other areas within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, preparations being made by you and others 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 a Republic of Biafra and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2000”.
In count three, FG alleged that Kanu had “on or about the 28th April, 2015 in London, United Kingdom did in a 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, 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. 38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.
