DSS accuses Biafra radio director, Kanu, of terrorism

• Seeks his detention for 90 days
• Supporters protest in Abuja

The Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday told a Senior Magistrate Court in Abuja that the Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, charged with criminal conspiracy was also involved in terrorism and financing of the criminal act.

At the resumed hearing, prosecution counsel, Mr. Moses Idakwo, told the court they stumbled on fresh facts showing that Kanu was involved in terrorism and financing of same.
He said the new offences allegedly committed by Kanu had stripped the magistrate court of jurisdiction.
Accordingly, Idakwo applied to the court to strike out the charge it had preferred against the accused to enable DSS charge him to a court with requisite jurisdiction to try him for terrorism.

Kanu is standing trial before the said magistrate court on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, intimidation and belonging to unlawful society, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Addressing the court, the prosecution counsel stated that “the complainant found out that the accused was involved in terrorism and has been financing it. The complainant is, therefore, applying to discontinue the matter under section 108
(1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.’’

Idakwo said the DSS had also obtained an order from the Federal High Court, Abuja, dated November 10 to detain the accused in its custody for 90 days.

Kanu’s counsel, Vincent Obetta, opposed the application for discontinuance on the argument that the prosecution did not present any information from the Attorney-General of the Federation who has the authority to approve such.
Obetta told the court that the DSS violated the order of the court which granted his client bail by not allowing him the benefit as he has been languishing in custody of the security agency since he was arrested.

After taking submissions of the parties, the magistrate, Mr. Usman Shuabu, reserver his ruling for December 1, 2015.
While the court sat on Kanu’s case yesterday, his supporters staged a protest in Abuja to press for release of their leader.

Before the Abuja’s protest, the protesters had since Kanu’s arrest in October embarked on widespread protests at Nigerian embassies in some foreign countries as well as South -South and South East states.