A mild drama
took place within the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja
this morning, as the detained leader of the Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB) Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, whose trial is billed to commence
today, refused to remove his handcuffs. It took the intervention of
his lead counsel, Chief Chuks Muoma, to persuade Kanu to step-down
from the prison van that brought him to court for trial. Though he
eventually succumbed to persuasion by his lawyer to alight from the
prison van, however, Kanu, swore that he would not allow anybody to
remove the handcuffs which he wore into the courtroom.
Meantime,
trial Justice John Tsoho who is scheduled to hear the testimony of
witnesses the federal government will bring before the court today to
testify against Kanu, has stood down the matter.
It will be
recalled that Justice Tsoho had on January 29, denied bail to Kanu
and two other pro-Biafra agitators, Benjamin Madubugwu and David
Nwawuisi, who are facing trial with him. The trio are answering to a
six-count treason charge that was preferred against them by the
federal government.
Kanu who was
hitherto the Director of Radio Biafra and Television, has been in
detention since October 14, 2015, when he was arrested by security
operatives upon his arrival to Nigeria from his base in the United
Kingdom.
The
defendants were – in the charge that was signed by the Director of
Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr. Mohammed Diri – alleged to have
committed treasonable felony, an offence punishable under Section
41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria.
The
government alleges that they were the ones managing the affairs of
the IPOB which it described as “an unlawful society”.
Specifically, Kanu, was alleged to have illegally smuggled radio
transmitters into Nigeria, which he used to disseminate “hate
broadcasts”, encouraging the “secession of the Republic of
Biafra”, from Nigeria. However, the accused persons, pleaded not
guilty to the charge on January 20, even as the court ordered their
remand at Kuje prison in Abuja.
SUN
SUN
