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A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the self-proclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), testified on Wednesday that Kanu admitted to smuggling a radio transmitter into Nigeria. The transmitter was allegedly used for operating Radio Biafra.
The witness, an official of the Department of State Services (DSS), revealed this during the trial proceedings before Justice James Omotosho. He identified a video recording showing DSS officials inspecting the transmitter at a location in Ubuluisiuzor, Anambra State. The recording, stored on a disc, was among four videos tendered and admitted in court as evidence during Wednesday’s session.
The DSS official, who served as the third prosecution witness (PW3), was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN). At the start of his testimony, PW3 confirmed that he was aware of Kanu’s position as the leader of IPOB, which he described as a terrorist organization. He further stated that Kanu founded Radio Biafra, a platform he allegedly used to incite the public to violence, including acts of maiming and killing.
PW3 stated that he first encountered Kanu on October 21, 2015, when he and three other DSS operatives were instructed to interview the IPOB leader and obtain his statements regarding his activities. The interview sessions spanned from October 21 to October 24, 2015, and were video-recorded with Kanu’s consent. The defendant later wrote and signed statements related to the interviews.
During the proceedings, the defence counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), did not oppose the prosecution’s application to admit the video recordings into evidence. However, he raised an objection when Awomolo sought to tender Kanu’s written statements. Agabi argued that his client had claimed the statements were not made voluntarily. This led the court to examine the matter more closely.
Justice Omotosho asked the defence to specify what exactly rendered the statements involuntary. He briefly halted proceedings to allow another defence lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN), to confer privately with Kanu on the matter. Upon returning, Erokoro informed the court that Kanu alleged he was denied access to his lawyers during detention, was threatened with denial of bail, and was not allowed the one-hour daily fresh air break prescribed due to his health condition.
Additionally, Kanu reportedly told his lawyer that DSS operatives coerced him to make statements against former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, statements which he insisted were not his own.
Following this revelation, Justice Omotosho ordered a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statements made by Kanu. During this segment of the proceedings, PW3 returned to the witness stand as the prosecution’s sole witness. He denied all allegations of duress or coercion, asserting that Kanu was treated with respect and even given bottled water during the interview sessions.
PW3 emphasized that Kanu was never held in an underground cell or solitary confinement, and that his interactions with DSS officials were cordial. He stated that Kanu’s claims were surprising, given the preferential treatment he received. The witness also refuted the claim that Kanu was prompted to speak about Jonathan or Okorocha. He maintained that Kanu responded voluntarily and truthfully during the interviews.
Explaining further, the DSS official stated that during one interview session on October 24, 2015, a prior interview Kanu granted to Sahara Reporters was played back to him. Kanu reportedly confirmed that he had given the interview. In the recording, Kanu described Nigeria as a “zoo,” alleged that certain political leaders, including Okorocha, were involved in Islamizing the country, and made derogatory remarks about then-President Muhammadu Buhari.
Three of the interview recordings were played in open court. The footage showed Kanu, dressed in a shirt and trousers, interacting freely with DSS operatives, occasionally smiling and requesting a specific brand of bottled water, which was provided to him. In the video, Kanu was seen rationalizing his actions and broadcasts, stating that they were aimed at bringing about political and societal change.
Kanu defended the existence of IPOB as a movement for the self-determination of the Biafran people. He also likened the Biafra Volunteer Force to the Salvation Army — an organized group of volunteers committed to spreading IPOB’s message.
Under cross-examination by Erokoro, PW3 reiterated that Kanu was never coerced, and all of his concerns were adequately addressed during his detention.
Kanu, testifying as the sole defence witness during the trial-within-trial, maintained that he was mistreated. He alleged that DSS investigators — specifically naming Mr. Brown Ukuaba, an Assistant Director of Investigation — threatened him and denied him legal representation. He recounted being arrested in Lagos in 2015, kept in chains, blindfolded, and transported to Abuja, where he was placed in an underground cell and held in solitary confinement.
Kanu also claimed the video recordings shown in court were edited. However, under cross-examination by Awomolo, he admitted that the DSS interviews gave him an opportunity to explain IPOB’s finances, leadership structure, and goals. He also confirmed that he was provided medical care while in custody, saying, “They (the DSS authorities) have a good doctor there.”
Justice Omotosho adjourned the case until May 29. The court scheduled 12:00 p.m. for the adoption of final written addresses by both parties and 2:00 p.m. for the judge’s ruling on the admissibility of the statements.