I Regret Calling Buhari A Terrorist, Evil And A Paedophile – Nnamdi Kanu Hand-Written Apology Letter

The leader of the Indigenous People of
Biafra(IPOB) and founder of Radio Biafra,
Nnamdi Kanu, has apologised to
President Muhammadu Buhari for calling
him a terrorist, evil and a paedophile in
his radio broadcasts.

Kanu, who has been charged along with
two others by the Federal Government
before a Federal High Court in Abuja on
six counts of treason and other ancillary
offences, said he intended to write a
private letter to Buhari to express his
apology to the President.
He also apologised to former President
Goodluck Jonathan and Igbo elders for
"some uncomplimentary things" he said
about them.
The 48-year-old pro-Biafran agitation
leader, who is, however, unapologetic
about his demand for a Republic of
Biafra, has been in the custody of the
Department of State Services since his
arrest in Lagos on October 14, 2015.
He tendered the apology for his
comment against Buhari and others in a
statement which he made to the DSS on
October 23.
The prosecution, in its summary of the
case, alleged that in one of the radio
broadcasts by Kanu on August 1, 2015,
he expressed his resolve to actualise the
Republic of Biafra and "cast aspersions
on the person and the office of the
President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria".
The statement read in part, "Reference
to the President of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria as a terrorist, evil and a
paedophile is regrettable and uncalled
for and for that, I unreservedly apologise
and will be doing so in a private letter to
the President.
"Before PMB (President Muhammadu
Buhari) there was the istration of
Goodluck Jonathan. I also said
uncomplimentary things about him and
Igbo elders as well, which I now
recognise should not have happened
because it is un-African to be rude or
insolent to elders.
"All I was trying to do is to draw
attention to the problems afflicting
society and something done about
them."
Kanu, who described himself as a
Nigerian and a British citizen, justified
his agitation for a Biafra Republic.
He said IPOB's secessionist agenda was
informed by the "incessant hardship,
lack of holistic development in the socio-
economic landscape of Nigeria, lack of
youth employment, corruption in high
offices and economic regression."
He added that the agitation by IPOB,
which, according to him, was founded
in London in 2012 by a group of people
from the South-South and South-East
regions of the country, was in line with
the United Nations Charter on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples ratified by African
countries, including Nigeria.
In contrast to the counts of managing
and assisting in the management of an
unlawful society preferred against Kanu
and two others, the Radio Biafra
founder stated that IPOB, which the
prosecution described as unlawful, was
registered with the UN to pursue the
rights of the people of Biafra.
He stated, "I can confirm that I, Nnamdi
Kanu, is the leader of Indigenous People
of Biafra worldwide as a legitimately and
duly registered body at the United
Nations pursuing the rights of a specific
indigenous people, in this case, Biafra, to
seek self determination according to the
said charter.
"The reason for the formation of the
Indigenous People of Biafra is to avail
those referring to themselves as
Biafrans the opportunity made available
as a result of the United Nations
declaration to seek the peaceful rebirth
of Biafra in line with international law."
Kanu, who is a son of a traditional ruler
in Abia State, Sir I.O. Kanu, said he
operated Radio Biafra, whose
programmes "are designed to wake up
the public from its slumber and address
the issues of the time" because of his
belief in free speech and freedom of
expression.
He explained that the intended Biafra
Republic comprised Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia,
Imo, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom,
Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states as well
the Igbanke part of Edo State; Igala part
of Kogi State and Idoma/Igede part of
Edo State.
Apart from Kanu, 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 MTN masts in Enugu State.
The other defendant, Benjamin
Madubugwu, was said to be living in the
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 re-assignment to another judge and the
three accused persons were returned to
the custody of the Department.