The leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been brought to court by officials of the Department of State Security (DSS) for his trial.
Kanu was brought into the courtroom amid heavy security around 9:50am.
Kanu’s brother, Prince Meme Kanu confirmed the IPOB’s leaders presence via a Facebook post on Wednesday morning.
Department of State Services (DSS) officials had earlier set up a barricade at the entrance of the Federal High Court where the case is to be heard and they prevented reporters and some Igbo monarchs from gaining entry.
Kanu’s appearance in court comes after the Nigerian Government filed seven amended charges bordering on treasonable felony and acts of terrorism against him.
The 54-year-old has been charged with “terrorism”, treason and perpetuating falsehoods against President Muhammadu Buhari, mainly through broadcasts on the controversial Radio Biafra outlet and also through social media. He had pleaded not guilty during his last court date on October 21.
After spending two years in detention, Kanu disappeared in April 2017 while on bail. His followers blamed the Nigerian authorities but he mysteriously surfaced in Israel more than a year later.
This June, Kanu, who also holds British citizenship, was arrested in Kenya and repatriated to Nigeria. Since then, IPOB has announced and intermittently enforced regional sit-at-home orders every Monday and sometimes also on other weekdays to register its protest against his continued imprisonment.
It would be more logical if FG leave this man alone, because they have nothing against him.