Biafra: Kanu Apologises To Buhari, Jonathan, 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