The Federal Government has said the transmitters belonging to pirate radio, Radio Biafra were installed on MTN masts in Enugu and Anambra states so as to ensure wider coverage for the radio.
According to the case summary of the 6-count charge filed against Radio Biafra’s Director, Nnamdi Kanu and two others.
The two other defendants in the case are David Nwawuisi and Benjamin Madubugwu.
Nwawuisi, a field maintenance engineer, David Nwawuisi, was allegedly responsible for installing the MTN masts in Enugu State.
The other defendant, Benjamin Madubugwu, resides in Ubilisiuzo, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, where he allegedly received custody of a container housing transmitters from Kanu.
The Federal Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Mohammed Diri said: “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.”
It was also alleged that the transmitters were smuggled into Nigeria by Kanu and were discovered during a search in Madubugwu’s residence.
Kanu is facing charges of treasonable felony and managing an unlawful society, the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) and smuggling radio transmitters into the country while Madubugwu and Nwawuisi were accused of assisting in the management of IPOB.
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 set for arraignment.
