Radio Biafra transmitters installed on MTN masts —FG

Nnamdi Kanu

Ade Adesomoju
The Federal Government has said the transmitters for Radio
Biafra, which has been accused of spreading secessionist
agenda and campaigning for the carving out of a Biafra Republic
from Nigeria, were found to be installed on MTN masts in Enugu
and Anambra states.
According to the Federal Government, the installation of the
transmitters on the telecommunications company’s masts was
to ensure wider coverage for the radio.
The headquarters of the radio station is “presumably in
London.”
This is contained in the government’s case summary of the
fresh six counts of treason and other ancillary offences
instituted against the founder of Radio Biafra and leader of the
Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and two others,
before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
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 the
MTN masts in Enugu State.
The other defendant, Benjamin Madubugwu, was said to be
living in Ubilisiuzo, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra
State, where he allegedly received custody of a container
housing transmitters from Kanu.
On December 23, during the accused persons’ appearance in
court for their scheduled arraignment, Kanu refused to take his
plea due to what he called his lack of confidence in the
presiding judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
The judge promptly returned the case file to the Chief Judge of
the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for reassignment
to another judge and the three accused persons were returned
to the custody of the Department of State Services.
The fresh charges were filed against the three men barely 24
hours after Justice Adeniyi Ademola, in a ruling on Kanu’s bail
application on December 17, ordered his unconditional release
from DSS custody, having been detained for about two months
without any valid charges filed against him.
The Federal Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Mohammed
Diri, who signed the fresh charges, the case summary and other
processes accompanying them on behalf of the government,
alleged that Nwawuisi installed the transmitters on MTN masts
“on request by an IPOB member, Chidibere Onwudiwe.”
Diri added, “The 3rd defendant (Nwawuisi), a Field Maintenance
Engineer, charged with the responsibility of maintaining MTN
masts in Enugu State, was also arrested in the course of the
investigation.
“He agreed, on the request of an IPOB member, who is at large,
Chidebere Onwudiwe, to install and did install IPOB radio
transmitters on MTN masts for a consideration.”
The prosecution alleged that the transmitters were smuggled
into Nigeria by Kanu and were discovered during a search in
Madubugwu’s residence.
While Kanu was accused of treasonable felony, management of
an unlawful society (IPOB), and smuggling of goods, including
radio transmitters, into the country, Madubugwu and Nwawuisi
were accused of assisting in the management of the said
unlawful group.
The prosecution alleged, in the six counts, that the transmitters
were installed on the MTN masts between April and May 2015.
The sixth count read, “That you, David Nwawuisi, at Enugu and
Anambra states, between April and May 2015 assisted in the
management of an illegal society by doing an act to wit: you
permitted one Chidiebere Onwudiwe, now at large, to install
Radio Biafra transmitters with knowledge that the said
transmitters were property of the Indigenous People of Biafra,
an unlawful society, with the intention to propagate its
secession intention and that you thereby committed an offence
punishable under Section 6 of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38,
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.”
Kanu was said to have on many occasions broadcast on the
radio, which is said to have as its Mission Statement, ‘The
defence of the rights of the Indigenous People of Biafra; and
ultimately the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra’, reiterating
that “Biafra must be realised.”
The case summary reads, “In one of such broadcasts on August
1, 2015, he called on members of IPOB in the Diaspora to
identify children of Nigerian dignitaries, their residences and
schools, with a view to taking reprisal action against them in the
event of attacks against Biafrans by Nigerian security agents.”
The Federal Government said the proponents of the Republic of
Biafra proposed that the republic would consist of “states in the
South-East and South-South regions except that in the case of
Edo State, only the Igbanke community will be part of the
Republic of Biafra as well as the Igalas in Kogi State and the
Idomas in Benue State.”
No new date has been fixed for the arraignment of the accused
persons.