Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has again reiterated his resolve towards the struggle for the actualisation of Biafra, stressing that it is “Biafra or death.”
Recall that the Department of State Services, DSS, had in October last year arrested Kanu in Lagos before arraigning him for charges bordering on treasonable felony.
However, Kanu was reported to have made the declaration as he marked his one year in detention despite been granted bail by several courts.
The declaration was contained in an article by one Chijindu Benjamin Ukah.
The article reads in full: “Today, Friday, 14th October, 2016, marks one year of the kidnap and unlawful detention of Dr. Nnamdi Kanu – the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB/Director of Radio Biafra, by the gestapo-SSS of Tyrant Buhari’s Nigeria.
“Nnamdi Kanu (Prisoner of Conscience) was arrested on 14th October, 2015 by the Agents of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the State Security Service (SSS) in his hotel room at the Golden Tulip Essential Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
“Kanu during a visit to Kuje prison expressed great confidence and absolute loyalty towards the Biafra restoration project, saying that his one year in prison is too little a price to pay as long as Biafra will come. He berated the shenanigans of the Buhari-led government against him, while vowing that his continued detention will not deter him from remaining steadfast in this noble cause. He also urged Biafrans to continue even if he dies in detention. Biafra to everyone should be the ultimate goal and with strong conviction reiterated that it is “Biafra or Death”.
“Since the detention of Kanu, Nigeria has developed from worse to worst under a tyrant-Buhari. Buhari thought that holding the leader of IPOB automatically means the death of IPOB’s ideology, but lo and behold, the agitation is increasing sporadically every minute he spends in prison. Every plague that befell the Egyptians of old due to Pharaoh’s stubborness to allow the Israelites go has been manifesting in Nigeria. Buhari was clearly hoodwinked into believing that he can ‘crush’ Biafra like he has always regurgitated. Nnamdi Kanu since his illegal detention is yet to be found guilty and that his Buhari’s greatest challenge as of now.
“What He Did Before His Arrest:
“Nnamdi Kanu was the Anchor Man, and Director of Radio Biafra. He broadcasted on Radio Biafra until the day of his arrest. Radio Biafra was established in defense of the right of the Indigenous People of Biafra, and for the total emancipation and the restoration of the nation of Biafra; and to set a largely misinformed public free from the evil of tyrannical rule of a cabal of ill-educated and institutionally corrupt men and women. Radio Biafra propagates truth to mankind and exposes evil without fear or favor. It preaches the ideology, that is, “Biafra” in its totality
“Radio Biafra is the voice of the voiceless Indigenous People of Biafra, it is a platform meant to salvage Biafrans – the most endangered species, who are being marginalized, exploited, subjugated, and mapped out for total extermination by the Islamic Mohammedan Emirates of the North since the amalgamation of Nigeria by the British Empire in 1914.
“Kanu, through Radio Biafra, called Biafrans together in the spirit of brotherhood and comradery. He librated millions of Biafrans from mental slavery, made them discover their true identity, and restored their dignity as the children of the most high.
“The Charges Against Him By The DSS: The DSS brought three frivolous charges against Nnamdi Kanu, viz;
“That Nnamdi Kanu and other unknown persons, now at large, at London, United Kingdom, between 2014 and September, 2015 with intention to levy war against Nigeria in order to force the President to change his measures of being the President of the Federation, Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation, by broadcasting on Radio Biafra; calling for self-determination of Biafra.
“That he was Managing an unlawful society
“And that he imported a radio transmitter and described it as containing household items.
“His Court Case: He was arraigned secretly at Magistrate Court, Abuja, granted bail under stringent conditions, some of which required the Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property within Abuja municipality of a level 16 officer in the Ministry. The bail conditions no matter how stringent, were met, yet he was not released. Under the UN and AU Charters, it is enshrined that upon meeting bail conditions, bail is granted. This is clear sign that Nigeria is sliding to days of Decree 2 and 4 of 1984 (promulgated by same Buhari). This is pure Dictatorship.
“On 17th December, 2015, Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court, Abuja ordered that Kanu be released unconditionally, but the (S)DSS refused to obey the court order to date.
“On 23rd December, 2015, Justice Mohammed opted out of the case, also countered the prosecution counsels, saying that Nnamdi Kanu had the right to reject the trial, “after all justice is rooted on confidence.” This happened after Nnamdi Kanu objected to the case, stating that it was needless, as the federal government had repeatedly disobeyed previous court rulings, including releasing him unconditionally.
“On 29th January, 2016, Judge John Tsoho ironically ordered that Nnamdi and the other two accused persons, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi be remanded in Kuje prison pending the commencement of their trial. He gave three baseless reasons for his ruling;
“That Nnamdi Kanu was a threat to national security.
“That if released, Nnamdi Kanu might commit the same offence again.
“That there was a probability that Nnamdi Kanu might jump bail because he possessed dual citizenship, the same baseless statements made by Muhammadu Buhari during his maiden presidential media chat on 30th December, 2015.
“On 19th February, 2016, Justice Tsoho dismissed the application by the federal government to have a secret trial and masking of witness bearers against Nnamdi kanu.
“On 7th March 2016, John Tsoho reversed himself on an appeal which he earlier dismissed on February 19th, 2016, against Nnamdi Kanu. He thereby committed perjury.
“On 5th April, 2016 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Tsoho instituted secret trial in Nigeria. He maintained his ruling of 19th February, 2016, which stated that Nnamdi Kanu would be tried secretly – with masked witnesses. The public was barred from attending the hearing on 5th April, 2015. Only a handful of Journalists were permitted to cover proceedings.
“And in continuation of reversal of his own ruling, Judge John Tsoho allowed DSS lawyer, Mr. Idakwo who was the lead interrogator of Nnamdi Kanu and the other two accused persons when they were in DSS custody to wear legal regalia and aid the lead prosecutor, Mr. Mohamed Labaran. The DSS automatically became the arresting agency, the detainer, interrogator, investigator and also running the prosecution in a court of law for the office of the Attorney General of Nigeria through the office of the Director of Public Prosecution.
“During the proceedings on 5th April, 2016, the defending counsel led by SAN Chuks Muoma was the first to make his presentation – that the law provided that each counsel had a maximum time of 20 minutes to (adumbrate) make their presentation, but Justice Tsoho cut short the right of adumbration of the defending council, which showed clearly that John Tsoho was biased.
“On 26th September, 2016 Justice Tsosho backed off Kanu’s case after Kanu’s counsel, SAN Chuks Muoma, said the continuation of the matter by Mr. Tsoho would amount to a great disservice since there was a petition against him, before the NJC.
“On 5th October, 2016, the ECOWAS Community Court was opened to hear Kanu’s case with Nigerian government, but lo and behold, the counsel to the government was absent from the Court.
“After taking stock of Kanu’s plight from 14th October, 2015 to 14th October, 2016, it is crystal clear that Muhammadu Buhari is hell-bent on fulfilling his statement of “Ensuring that Kanu is jailed”. Muhammadu Buhari is disobeying court orders, bullying judges and rubbishing the judiciary.
“Since one year of Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest, He has not been found guilty of any crime by any Court of competent jurisdiction yet he is still in detention. He has been denied of his human rights, he is undergoing physical and mental torture. Notwithstanding all the maltreatment and injustices meted out on him, he still maintained that it is “Biafra or Death”; despite all the killings of peaceful Biafra protesters, those alive are still chanting alongside Kanu that it is either “Biafra or Death”. This is a clear signal that Biafra cannot and should not be toiled with.
“Buhari is stucked between the deep blue sea and the shark as the world’s focus is now on him, with regards to Kanu’s case and the incessant killings of Biafrans.
“Biafra Writers is urging all Biafrans to continue to keep faith with Kanu, as the international community has realised that a full-blown dictatorship has been activated while democracy is dying fast in Nigeria.
“We are very positive that victory is in sight, as Buhari’s tyranny will accelerate the Biafra restoration process. The world through our efforts now understand that the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu portends grave danger for humanity and the enclave, Nigeria and in such light we must keep up with the momentum.”
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