Despite Causing Death of 60 Persons, We’ll Give Nnamdi Kanu Fair Trial — FG

The Federal Government, on Thursday, said the arrested leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, caused the death of 60 persons in four months, but assured that he will get fair treatment and trial.

Nnamdi Kanu facing an 11-count charge bordering on treasonable felony, terrorism and illegal possession of firearms, pending before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave government’s position at a media briefing in Abuja.

Like his Justice counterpart, Abubakar Malami, SAN,who unveiled Kanu’s arrest and repatriation on Tuesday, Mohammed declined to say how and where the IPOB leader was arrested and brought to Nigeria.

The government equally listed the alleged sins of Kanu in a letter to the international community, alleging that the IPOB leader orchestrated the killing of 60 persons and destruction of property in 55 violent attacks across the South-East and South-South zones within four months.

The FG stated this in a letter dated April 26, 2021 to western diplomats, NAN reports.

In the letter, it listed the alleged atrocities committed by members of IPOB on the instruction of Kanu who was then in exile.

One of the attachments to the letter listed the attacks on lives and property by IPOB and its militia arm, Eastern Security Network, ESN, in some parts of the country between January and April 2021.

According to the letter from the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to some western countries, the Federal Government objected to a statement by an agency of a western nation whose government had noted that ESN was created to combat insecurity.

The Federal Government, in its letter, considered the statement as “justifying the establishment of a militia by a non-state actor and glossing over the destructive and violent acts of IPOB and the ESN.

”In under four months this year, IPOB has carried out over fifty-five violent acts in various parts of South-East Nigeria killing scores of people and destroying many properties.

“Indeed, it would seem that the position of the (western nation) seems to have further emboldened Nnamdi Kanu, the self-confessed leader of IPOB.

”As recently as 22nd April, 2021, broadcasting online from his base in London, Mr Kanu issued a series of instructions to his militia and other members of the outlawed organisation, on acts of violence to be carried out within the territory of Nigeria.”

The letter made copious references to some of the threats issued by Kanu thus: “Our madness has just begun.

“Every night, young men will not sleep, you will come out, at the starting of every road that leads to every populated area under human habitation to make sure that appropriate road blocks are put in place to slow them down so we can catch them (Fulanis) and kill them.

“That is what we want you to do. Obiano (Governor of Anambra State) from today onwards, anywhere you are seen in public you will be attacked …. Obiano, … you are a dead man walking.

“Any landlord that gives accommodation or rents his house or her house to a Fulani person, to an army personnel, to somebody who works for the police or Department of State Services (DSS).Kill them.

“If you see the army and the police in your place, kill all of them… Kill them.

“From today, I am announcing, there will be no election in Anambra State. Every edifice of election in Anambra State will be destroyed. I am warning you in advance. There will be no election. There will be no campaign in Anambra State.

“Any vehicle you see, from tonight (22nd April 2021), 12 midnight to 5, destroy it completely. That is the time they (referring to Fulanis) move about abducting people. And we keep quiet.

“What stops you young people from, once you see them coming around 4am in the morning, you will block all every exits, set it on fire?

“They will exhaust all the ammunition that they have, then we capture them alive and cut off their heads. All of them. Decapitate them,” the Federal Government further quoted Kanu’s alleged instructions to IPOB members.

The Federal Government noted that IPOB members, following these instructions, intensified their attacks on the specified targets.

According to the Federal Government, Kanu issued instructions from western capitals using Radio Biafra and IPOB members to carry them out in Nigeria.

“For example, a day after Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State confirmed to newsmen that Nnamdi Kanu has ordered members of the group to kill him and other South-East governors, which orders were repeated on Radio Biafra, the private residence of Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, in his hometown in Omuma, Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State, was attacked and set ablaze and two of the security men attached to the house were killed.”

Vanguard