Really? Pro Biafran Leader Nnamdi Kanu Tender Apologies To Buhari, Jonathan And Igbo Elders

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and founder

of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has expressed regret for

referring to President Muhammadu Buhari as a terrorist,

evil and a paedophile in his radio broadcasts.

Kanu, who has been charged along with two others by the

Federal Government before a Federal High Court in Abuja

on six counts of treason and other ancillary offences, said

he intended to write a private letter to Buhari to express

his apology to the President.

He also apologised to former President Goodluck Jonathan

and Igbo elders for “some uncomplimentary things” he

said about them.

The 48-year-old pro-Biafran agitation leader, who is,

however, unapologetic about his demand for a Republic of

Biafra, has been in the custody of the Department of State

Services since his arrest in Lagos on October 14, 2015.

He tendered the apology for his comment against Buhari

and others in a statement which he made to the DSS on

October 23.

The prosecution, in its summary of the case, alleged that

in one of the radio broadcasts by Kanu on August 1, 2015,

he expressed his resolve to actualise the Republic of Biafra

and “cast aspersions on the person and the office of the

President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

The statement read in part, “Reference to the President of

the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a terrorist, evil and a

paedophile is regrettable and uncalled for and for that, I

unreservedly apologise and will be doing so in a private

letter to the President.

“Before PMB (President Muhammadu Buhari) there was

the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. I also said

uncomplimentary things about him and Igbo elders as

well, which I now recognise should not have happened

because it is un-African to be rude or insolent to elders.

“All I was trying to do is to draw attention to the problems

afflicting society and something done about them.”

Kanu, who described himself as a Nigerian and a British

citizen, justified his agitation for a Biafra Republic.

He said IPOB’s secessionist agenda was informed by the

“incessant hardship, lack of holistic development in the

socio-economic landscape of Nigeria, lack of youth

employment, corruption in high offices and economic

regression.”

He added that the agitation by IPOB, which, according to

him, was founded in London in 2012 by a group of people

from the South-South and South-East regions of the

country, was in line with the United Nations Charter on the

Rights of Indigenous Peoples ratified by African countries,

including Nigeria.

In contrast to the counts of managing and assisting in the

management of an unlawful society preferred against Kanu

and two others, the Radio Biafra founder stated that IPOB,

which the prosecution described as unlawful, was

registered with the UN to pursue the rights of the people

of Biafra.

He stated, “I can confirm that I, Nnamdi Kanu, is the

leader of Indigenous People of Biafra worldwide as a

legitimately and duly registered body at the United Nations

pursuing the rights of a specific indigenous people, in this

case, Biafra, to seek self determination according to the

said charter.

“The reason for the formation of the Indigenous People of

Biafra is to avail those referring to themselves as Biafrans

the opportunity made available as a result of the United

Nations declaration to seek the peaceful rebirth of Biafra

in line with international law.”

Kanu, who is a son of a traditional ruler in Abia State, Sir

I.O. Kanu, said he operated Radio Biafra, whose

programmes “are designed to wake up the public from its

slumber and address the issues of the time” because of his

belief in free speech and freedom of expression.

He explained that the intended Biafra Republic comprised

Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa

Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states as well the Igbanke

part of Edo State; Igala part of Kogi State and Idoma/Igede

part of Edo State.

Apart from Kanu, one of the two other defendants in the

six counts filed by the Federal Government is a Field

Maintenance Engineer, David Nwawuisi, charged with the

responsibility of maintaining MTN masts in Enugu State.

The other defendant, Benjamin Madubugwu, was said to

be living in the Ubilisiuzo, Ihiala Local Government Area

of Anambra State, where he allegedly received custody of

a container, housing transmitters, from Kanu.

Punch