By Emma Ogbuehi
The Federal Government, on Friday, alleged that the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, was responsible for all the violence during last year’s #EndSARS protests including the burning of the palace of the Oba of Lagos and killing of 175 security agents and even last month’s killing of Dr. Chike Akunyili.
The government also said that the self-determination activist should be held liable for the killing of former Presidential Adviser, Ahmed Gulak, and virtually every crisis that has engulfed the Southern part of Nigeria in recent times.
Nnamdi Kanu was arraigned in Court on Thursday on a seven-count treasonable felony charge to which he pleaded not guilty.
The case was adjourned to November 10.
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The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, who made the allegation while briefing journalists in Abuja, also claimed that some countries were aiding Kanu after he escaped from the country.
“We have also established that Kanu is not alone in his subversive activities. He has accomplices in Nigeria and abroad, individuals and groups as well as state and non-state actors who are aiding and facilitating his campaign against the people and state of Nigeria.
“Some of the state actors aided Kanu, even as a fugitive, in his destructive mission, ignoring the terrorist nature of his activities.
“We call on these countries to desist from aiding subversive acts by Kanu and IPOB against the state of Nigeria and its people.
“Conversely, there are some friendly countries which, recognising the status of IPOB as a terrorist organization, have either banned the activities of IPOB or placed Kanu on Stop List.
“To these peace loving countries that have put Kanu on their Stop Lists and banned IPOB from operating in their territories, we express our appreciation”, Malami stated.
The AGF disclosed that President Buhari had after Kanu was re-arrested in June, inaugurated a Presidential Ad-hoc Committee to investigate activities of the IPOB.
He said that 24 members of the committee were drawn from the Federal Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Federal Ministry of Information (MoI), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
According to him, the outcome of an investigation that was conducted by the committee, revealed that the IPOB and the Eastern Security Network, ESN, have so far, killed 175 security personnel comprising of 128 Police men, 37 military personnel and 10 other security operatives.
He said the investigation further revealed that Kanu’s broadcasts fuelled the #EndSARS protests that led to destruction of public facilities, including the attack on the Oba of Lagos.
READ ALSO: Tight security as IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is brought to Abuja Court
“While in self-exile, Nnamdi Kanu intensified his subversive campaign, using online Radio Biafra to instigate violence and incite members of IPOB to commit violent attacks against civil and democratic institutions, particularly the security personnel, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and civilians.
“He instigated the destruction of public and private properties across the country.
“As a result of these criminal activities, IPOB was proscribed and designated a terrorist organization by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, in an Order made on 20th September 2017.
“Despite the proscription of IPOB by the Federal Government, Nnamdi Kanu continued the subversive campaign, instigating and inciting broadcasts to direct members of the IPOB to launch attacks on government.
“The EndSARS protests of October 2020 played into the sinister plans of Nnamdi Kanu, whereby he seized the protests through subversive and inciting online broadcasts and actively commanded and directed attacks on security personnel and facilities.
“As a result of these broadcasts, members of IPOB attacked and killed security personnel and burnt down Police stations, Correctional centers, INEC offices, bus terminals, the Palace of Oba of Lagos, Banks, hospitals, shopping malls and vehicles, amongst others.
“On 12th December, 2020, Eastern Security Network” (ESN) was formed by Nnamdi Kanu as an armed wing of IPOB with the mandate to advance the nefarious agenda of the outlawed group.
“ESN continued to launch attacks on security personnel, civilians perceived as enemies as well as destruction of private and public properties.
“The destructive activities of IPOB/ESN pose serious threat to Nigeria’s National Security and its corporate existence, which resulted into re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and members of his group.
“The Committee finds as a fact, that consequent upon the instigating directives of Nnamdi Kanu, members of IPOB/ESN carried out massive attacks on democratic institutions especially INEC Facilities with a view to hampering democratic process in Nigeria.
“These attacks that were carried out between October 2020 and June 2021 include the following:
“That acting on the instigating directives of Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB members and #EndSARS protesters attacked and killed many security agents, destroyed several public and private properties, including Police stations, public transport buses and other facilities across the country.
“That on 21st October 2020, Nnamdi Kanu through an online call-in radio programme (Radio Biafra), further instigated IPOB members to burn down all police stations and kill Government security forces, which was carried out and several Security personnel (especially Police Officers) were killed and public and private properties destroyed.
“One hundred and seventy-five (175) security personnel were killed by IPOB/ESN, comprising one hundred and twenty eight (128) Police men, thirty seven (37) military personnel and ten (10) other security operatives;
“Killing of prominent Nigerians, (recently there were gruesome killings of traditional leaders: Obi 1 of Okwudor autonomous community, Eze E. Anayochukwu Durueburuo and Eze Sampson Osunwa of Ihebineowerre autonomous community as well as the killings of Dr. Chike Akunyili and eight others as well as the killing of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak on 30th May. 2021);
“That as a consequence of Nnamdi Kanu’s broadcasts, there were nineteen (19) attacks on INEC facilities that resulted in the destruction of offices as well as burning of eighteen (18) INEC logistical vehicles, several election materials, equipment and ICT gadgets in Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo States;
“That one hundred and sixty-four (164) police stations and formations, including Police Headquarters, Owerri, Imo State were attacked by IPOB/ESN leading to the death of one hundred and twenty-eight (128) police men {as stated in III above}; one hundred forty four (144) injured while six hundred twenty eight (628) vehicles were destroyed.
“That three hundred and ninety-six (396) firearms and seventeen thousand seven hundred and thirty eight (17,738) ammunition were carted away during the IPOB/ESN attacks;
“That there were three (3) IPOB/ESN attacks on Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), including the Headquarters of NCoS, Owerri, Imo State where one thousand eight hundred and forty one (1,841) inmates escaped;
“That the Headquarters of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Umuahia, Abia State was also attacked by IPOB/ESN leading to the death of one (1) officer;
“That there were several IPOB/ESN attacks and destruction (arson) of public and private properties during the EndSARS and Biafra agitations across the country, especially in the South-East and South-South regions, notably the Palace of the Oba of Lagos where twelve (12) flats were completely looted and vandalized, the country home of the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, was burnt, over one hundred and fifty (150) buses burnt at the Lagos Bus Terminal, Sen. Ndoma Egba’s home in Calabar Municipal, Cross River State, was completely looted and vandalized, Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, City Hall Race Course, First Bank Branch Lagos, Lagos State Public Works Commission, Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Marina, Lagos, High Court Igbosere, Lagos, were all burnt, amongst other heinous crimes committed”, Malami added.
He said information on countries supporting Kanu and the IPOB would be made public in due time.
Asked if the press briefing indicting Kanu was not subjudice in view of the fact that the case is already pending in court, Malami, said his office has a constitutional responsibility to act in public interest by keeping Nigerians informed.
“Nigerians, in public interest have to be carried along as it relates to protection of their rights and properties”.
He further maintained that Kanu’s presumption of innocence would not be affected by findings of the Committee.
“The court is the final arbiter that will eventually determine”.
Asked if it was in public interest that journalists were blocked from covering Kanu’s trial, Malami, said it was not within his powers or that of the Executive arm of the government to decide how a judge should coordinate a court proceeding.
“Within the context of prevailing legislations, the court preserves the right to restrict access. It is left for the press to seek clarification from the court”, he added.