A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the temporary relocation of the ongoing trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Justice James Omotosho gave the directive, citing the need to inspect a shipping container allegedly used to smuggle a radio transmitter into the country.
The transmitter is said to have been instrumental in the operations of Radio Biafra, which Kanu used to broadcast his pro-Biafra message.
The DSS had told the court on Friday that the broadcasts by the leader of IPOB directly contributed to economic paralysis in the South-East region.
The fourth prosecution witness, a DSS operative codenamed Mr DDD for security reasons, testified before Justice James Omotosho, led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).
Mr DDD, in his testimony, said Kanu’s broadcasts incited the enforcement of IPOB’s sit-at-home order through its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network.
“From my investigation, the defendant’s broadcasts directly contributed to economic paralysis in the South-East, as they fuelled the enforcement of IPOB’s sit-at-home order,” Mr DDD testified.
The witness also detailed how Kanu allegedly smuggled the radio transmitter into Nigeria, concealed within household items, to evade detection, adding that the transmitter , which was not declared to the Nigerian Customs Service, was hidden in Ihiala, Anambra State.
Mr DDD told the court that Kanu used the transmitter to incite violence and spread secessionist messages.
His words: “The defendant used the radio to incite members of the public against the Federal Government. We obtained a search warrant, searched Benjamin’s residence, and recovered the transmitter along with other items, including firearms, cartridges, Biafran currency, and Indian hemp.”
The court admitted into evidence a certified True copy of the search warrant issued by the Ihiala Chief Magistrate Court on October 28, 2015.
A video recording showing Kanu inspecting the smuggled transmitter was also tendered and admitted despite initial objections by the defence team, led by Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN).
In the video, played in the open court, Kanu was seen praising the transmitter as a “game changer” and referring to it as a “nuclear weapon” for Biafra.
He further warned residents of the South-East not to defy IPOB’s sit-at-home order scheduled for May 31, 2021, threatening violence against violators.
The prosecution tendered a flash drive containing 18 video clips and 16 radio broadcasts attributed to Kanu, which the court admitted into evidence.
Additionally, the statement of Benjamin Madubougu was presented, who was alleged to have taken custody of the transmitter at his Ihiala residence was admitted.
The court also admitted a publication from Vanguard newspaper in which an alleged ESN member claimed that Kanu ordered the collection of 2,000 human heads for burial rites, although only 30 were reportedly obtained.
The defence team objected to the admissibility of the newspaper article, but the court admitted it alongside a certificate of compliance.
The prosecution further applied for the court to inspect the container housing the transmitter and other related items, currently held at the DSS facility in the Presidential Villa. The request was granted without opposition.
Justice Omotoso therefore ruled that the court would move to the DSS headquarters to inspect the container and adjourned further proceedings.
