Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has pleaded not guilty to some of the charges against him.
The federal government recently amended the charges against him raising them to seven counts as against the five counts he was previously answering to, bordering on treasonable felony and terrorism.
The court session on Thursday commenced at 10 am.
When the charges were read to him, the IPOB leader pleaded not guilty.
Kanu was first granted bail by Justice Binta Nyako-led Federal High Court in Abuja in 2017, but he jumped and fled the country.
He was, however, rearrested in Kenya in July and repatriated to Nigeria to continue his trial.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court is under tight security.
Count one of the charge reads that Kanu “being the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on diverse dates in 2014 and 2015 in London, United Kingdom, did broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu and other areas within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, preparations made by you and others now at large, for states in the South-East and South-South zones and other communities in Kogi and Benue states to secede from the federal republic of Nigeria with a view to constituting same into the Republic of Biafra and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 41(c) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP. C77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.
Count six of the amended charge reads: ”That on the 16th of May , 2021 in London, United Kingdom within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit and act in furtherance if an act of terrorism by making a broadcast that “in two weeks time, what will happen will shake the world, people will die, the whole world will stand still mark my word” and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.”
In June, Kanu was arrested abroad and brought to Nigeria after he jumped bail and fled to the UK in 2017.
Aloy Ejimakor, one of Kanu’s counsel, said the government had plans to isolate him in court.
Eventually, Ejimakor and Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lead counsel, were granted access into the courtroom.
Defendants who were brought from prison to attend their trial were also locked out.
No journalist was allowed into the courtroom.
Representatives of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-cultural group, were in court to witness the trial.
Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former governor of Anambra state, was one of the representatives of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
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