The federal government has said the threat by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu to break the country and establish a Republic of Biafra was not a mere empty threat.
The government’s representatives told a Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday that the threat was a deliberate one.
The government said Kanu made a broadcast on Biafra Radio where he openly and publicly declared his intention to break up Nigeria.
Responding to a “No Case” application made by Kanu yesterday, the federal government lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), said the broadcast by Kanu caused Nigerians to Iive in great fears.
He told Justice James Omotosho to reject the claims of Kanu that he had no case to answer in the 7-count terrorism charges brought against by the federal government.
Awomolo argued that boasting to break up Nigeria is a fundamental security issue to the nation and as such, should not be considered as empty threat as claimed by Kanu.
The government’s lawyer informed the court that Kanu in the broadcast directed his followers to go after policemen to kill them along with their families, adding that over 170 security agents were killed shortly after the broadcast.
He said, “The defendant made a broadcast. He proudly declared himself as IPOB leader even when he knew that IPOB had been proscribed. He made a broadcast that the world would come to a standstill.
‘The law of Nigeria prohibits words capable of making Nigerians live in perpetual fear, threatening to bring Nigeria down. The aim is to create Biafra and not a mere boast and there are consequences for such boasting.”
Awomolo pleaded with the Judge to reject the no case argument of Kanu and order him to enter his defense in the charges against him adding that the no case application was a misplaced and misconceived one.
However, Kanu through his lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) faulted his prosecution in the charges and asked the court to discharge and acquit him.
Among others, Agabi said throughout the proceedings, no witness was called to tell the court how he was incited by Kanu to take to violence.
He also informed the court that the five witnesses called during trial who are operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) admitted that their roles were limited to obtaining statements from Kanu.
Agabi argued that no investigation whatsoever was carried out on Kanu’s statements and no report of any investigation on terrorism allegations was made available to the court.
The senior lawyer drew the attention of the court to the fact that the charges against Kanu were amended eight times yet no one came to testify that he was instigated to violence.
Insisting that Kanu was only asking people to defend themselves from the wanton killings, Agabi argued that the threat to bring the world down by Kanu was a mere boast and should not be used against him to justify terrorism offences.
He said that asking Nigerians to defend themselves is a constitutional right and had been re-echoed by other Nigerians including General T. Y Danjuma.
Agabi also faulted solitary confinement of Kanu in the last 10 years in violation of international law that solidarity confinement must not last for more than 15 days.
Insisting that the ingredients of terrorism charges were not established throughout the trial, Agabi pleaded with the judge to hold that no prima facie case was made against Kanu to warrant ordering him to enter defence in the charges.
Justice Omotosho after taking arguments for and against the no case application fixed October 10 for ruling.
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