Kenyan journalist debunks claims he aided Kanu’s arrest

A Kenyan journalist, David Matsanga, has debunked claims that he aided the arrest and repatriation of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to Nigeria.

Matsanga who interviewed Kanu in a live video on his online Television, Africa World Media on May 21, has come under severe criticism by IPOB who have accused him and Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, of setting up its leader for arrest.

But in an online video he put up on Thursday, Matsanga denied the allegations, saying he had no part in the arrest.

Kanu was reportedly arrested in Kenya on Sunday and brought to Nigeria where he was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, unlawful possession of firearms and management of an unlawful society.

In the video, Matsanga debunked the claim that he was used by the Nigerian government to set up Kanu for arrest.

“This morning, my attention has been drawn on the propaganda that is circulating on social media originating from Nigeria and from cohorts of the government of Nigeria talking about abduction, interception, kidnap by Nigerian security agencies together with international agencies of Nnamdi Kanu who was interviewed by our television station almost two months ago on 21st of May, 2021.

“And as a result of the propaganda churned by the President Muhammadu Buhari regime that Mr Nnamdi Kanu was abducted or taken from Kenya, I don’t speak for the government of the Republic of Kenya neither do I work for the government of Kenya.

“I run a media outlet online that works for Africa, neither do I work for any government in Africa regarding activities that can be a conspiracy theory.

“We did not approach Mr Nnamdi Kanu for an interview. Nnamdi Kanu, through his representatives in Australia, approached me, telephoned my television station sometime in May, asking for Mr Nnamdi Kanu to be interviewed on our television station.

“My television station has been voluntarily and I repeat, voluntarily defending the people of Biafra, the people of Ambazonia from the forces that have oppressed them in Africa.

Read also: Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, set up Nnamdi Kanu —IPOB

“Our TV station does not harbour any conspiracy theory, especially from myself regarding the suffering of the people of Ambazonia and the people of Biafra.

“We took interest in the Biafran issue and the South Eastern Nigerian issue because of the millions of videos that were sent to us as an online broadcasting institution.

“Nnamdi Kanu is able to say and I want to repeat, is able to say where, who and how he was able to be arrested by Nigerian and other international agents.

“If Nnamdi Kanu, who is still alive in a prison in Abuja, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will point a finger at our station or anybody working with my station or myself, I ask God to take me that day.

“When Mr Nnamdi Kanu says he ever talked to Dr Matsanga ever since 21st when we last had our interview.

“I want to make it categorically clear that abduction, seduction, kidnap of Kanu will not deter my television station from talking about the ill-treatment, human rights abuses, the poor treatment of the people of Biafra.

“I am not a Nigerian, I am not a Biafran, I am not paid by any Nigerian to speak my mind. I am a trained, highly trained journalist, investigative journalist worldwide.

“I have worked with a reputable organisation like Sky News, therefore I don’t engage myself in activities of the Buhari type of regime. Thank you very much.”

By Isaac Dachen…

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