Kanu faces eight new terror charges as trial resumes Tuesday

The Federal Government has amended the terrorism charges against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu.

It increased the counts from seven to 15 ahead of the resumed hearing today at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

His lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, had on December 2 applied for a rescheduling of the case till January 18.

Yesterday, Kanu’s legal team said it was served with an amended 15-count charge filed on January 17, with eight new counts added.

A lawyer in Kanu’s team, Maxwell Opara, described the amendment as a ploy by the prosecution to delay the case.

Opara told our correspondent that he was served with the amended charge yesterday while the legal team was preparing to visit Kanu in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS).

“My annoyance is not about 15 worthless and empty amended charges, but it is just a calculated attempt to delay the trial and have an excuse to further incarcerate MNK (Maxi Nnamdi Kanu) in solitary confinement.

“Imagine, since the last adjourned date, more than two months now, they did not deem it necessary to amend, file and serve us, but waited till today (yesterday) for them to do that with their ultimate intention to frustrate the trial tomorrow (today).

“Anyway, we shall sort it out with them in court,” Opara said.

READ ALSO:

• FG orders security agencies to kill, not injure jail attackers
• Breaking: Inflation Rises to 15.63%
• Masked gunmen attack Enugu community for ‘disobeying’ sit-at-home
• We Killed My Cousin Because His Family Refused To Pay Ransom – 20-Year-Old Kidnapper

The charges in full:  

Count 1: That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State sometimes in 2021 being a member and the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, a proscribed organisation, did commit an act in furtherance of an act of terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria by a making a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to intimidate the population and you threatened that people will die, the whole world will stand still and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act. 2013.

Count 2: That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State sometimes in 2021 did commit an act in furtherance of an act of terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria made a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to intimidate the population, you issued a deadly threat that anyone who flouted your sit-at-home order should “write his/her Will’. As a result banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, fuel stations domiciled in the Eastern states of Nigeria were not opened for businesses, citizens and vehicular movements in the Eastern States of Nigeria were grounded within the jurisdiction of this honourable court and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

Count 3: That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abla State on diverse dates between 2018 and 2021 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court professed yourself to be a member and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, a proscribed organisation in Nigeria and that you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

The Nation