Kanu confirms inciting violence in Biafra agitation

Nnamdi Kanu has revealed that his reason for inciting violence in the agitation for an independent Biafra state is because he doesn’t believe a peaceful approach would work.

The director of Radio Biafra was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in October, 2014 in a hotel in Lagos and his continued detention has resulted in violent protests in parts of the country.

The Punch reports that Kanu who is being charged with treason and other related offences confirmed that in an interview he granted Sahara Reporters on October 24, 2015. He said he called Nigeria a zoo because the only language the country understood was violence and accused Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo of Islamising the state.


He said: “A Sahara Reporters’ interview was played by officers of the DSS on October 24, 2015, as part of my interrogation and I acknowledged that it was me that gave the interview and the answers I provided were done by me.

“As I have earlier stated in past interrogation, the statements I make are purely designed to elicit reaction that will facilitate the desired change which is needed.

“In the interview, I made reference and said, ‘the zoo has come to an end, they keep killing our people…’.

“In the interview, I also said ‘the language the people hear in the zoo is violence. If they fail to give us Biafra, Somalia will be a child’s play’, yes, I stated that in the interview.

“Again, I was asked (and I said), ‘If they do not give us Biafra, there would be no one living in the zoo,’ yes, I said so.

“I was also asked did I say that Rochas had Islamised Imo State and I said yes. I was also asked to confirm that I said that I do not believe that a peaceful approach to the restoration of Biafra was viable because I am not aware of anywhere else in the world where that is the case considering the history of the countries and their approach to such issues.”

“I do not belong to Biafra Zionist Movement. However, I stated my support for its action because it was a civil act designed to highlight societal injustice.

“The said act involved a group of civilians massing at the Government House at Enugu to hoist the Biafran flag.”

Kanu reaffirmed his position as the leader of IPOB.

“I wish to state for the records that I, Nnamdi Kanu, is the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and Director of Radio Biafra and is in charge of the running of the organisation. In terms of the organisational structure, I can confirm that the office of the Director sits at the apex.”

He also provided the names of several persons who held different positions in the in the separatist group.

Meanwhile, after initial denial, Barrister Vincent Obetta, the lawyer Kanu, finally acknowledged that his client tendered apologies to President Muhammadu Buhari, the former president Goodluck Jonathan and Igbo elders.