Fighting For Biafra Freedom Within My Right, Kanu Admits In Statement
The leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has said that fighting for the emancipation of the South-East, South-South and parts of Benue and Kogi States was within his fundamental human rights.
He said his action cannot be described as terrorism as alleged by the federal government.
Kanu, in his statement made to the operatives of the Department of the State Service (DSS) in Lagos on October 15, 2015, said freedom fighting was not a crime in any part of the world including Nigeria because it is a fundamental right.
In the statement read out in the open court on Tuesday and admitted as exhibit, the detained Biafra nation agitator said he was interrogated by the DSS without the presence of his lawyer as required by law.
He claimed not to be involved in any violence in any part of the country because he has not been linked with anyone.
The statement was brought to the court by DSS while the federal government lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, applied that it should be read in the open court.
Consequently, due to no objection from Kanu’s legal team, the statement was read by a DSS operative who testified as the federal government’s Prosecution Witness (PW).
Apart from the statement, the video recordings of the interrogations of Kanu were played in the open court due to no objection from Kanu’s legal team.
The statement and the video clips have been admitted as exhibits by the trial Judge, Justice James Omotosho.
Apart from the statement and the video clips, four suite cases that contained various items recovered in the hotel room where Kanu was arrested on October 15, 2015, were also brought to court and admitted as exhibits.
The four suite cases contained personal belongings of the defendant, especially the Biafra radio equipment.
In the statement and video clips, Kanu admitted establishing Radio Biafra in London where it was registered.
He admitted not registering the radio station with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) because there was no need for it.