UPDATED: Court Admits Key Evidence As Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial Continues
The trial of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, continues before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, with the prosecution, tendering key exhibits linking the defendant to acts of terrorism. Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adegboyega Awomolo, the prosecution’s witness with Code name BBB, resumed testimony, focusing on a petition allegedly authored by the former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and addressed to the Department of State Services (DSS). The letter accused Kanu of terrorism, murder, and incitement to violence against Nigerian security agencies. The document, dated June 17, 2021, was admitted into evidence and marked as Exhibit PWF, following no objection by the defence team led by Kanu Agabi, SAN. The witness read from the petition, which alleged that Kanu, through various broadcasts, incited attacks on police and military personnel, resulting in killings, arson, and the destruction of public institutions including police stations and correctional centres. According to the witness, “He instructed, through his broadcast, that police and army seen, should be brought down and their guns seized and used.” The petition also cited a series of violent incidents attributed to the IPOB leader’s directives, stating they constituted a serious threat to national security. The court also admitted Kanu’s written statement to the DSS, dated July 17, 2021, in which he declined to make a fresh written submission, stating he had already said all he needed to about the allegations. That document was marked as Exhibit PEG. Awomolo further led the witness to identify a flash drive allegedly containing Kanu’s broadcasts. Despite an objection from the defence counsel, the court admitted the flash drive and its accompanying certificate of compliance as Exhibits PWA and PW1, respectively. In one of the video clips played in court, reportedly recorded on December 12, Kanu is heard addressing followers from “the blessed land of Biafra.” He declared the establishment of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and urged resistance against what he described as “Fulani domination.” In the video, he also warned governors in the region against political compromises, vowing that “no Fulani parading as herdsman shall be allowed in our land.” In another video that was played in court, one voice which the DSS witness said belongs Nnamdi Kanu could be heard telling people to “go and burn down Lagos”, “set Murtala Mohammed Airport on fire”, “burn down that Tinubu hotel”, “go into the bush, collect policemen’s guns and kill them”, etc. Also, in another video, that same voice that is allegedly Nnamdi Kanu’s could be heard saying “every Federal government building in Lagos should be set on fire. Any government vehicle you see, burn them. Manfacture your own weapons, ambush them”. Yet in another audio recording, a voice allegedly belonging to Kanu was addressing people who called into his program thus: “any police officer you kill, go to their station and set it on fire. Kill them. They are janjaweeds”. The voice also said “Tinubu is in trouble, he cannot run. Anywhere he runs to in this world we will find him”. “If we don’t behave like mad people in this zoological republic, this revolution will not work”. “Start killing soldiers now, set ambush for them, dig holes on the roads so that when their vehicle come it will somersault and they will die”. This particular audio recording was made during the End SARS protest of October 2020 because the voice could be heard taking calls from people across Nigeria who give him update of what’s happening where they are. One of the callers that said he’s from Ogbor Hill in Aba said they need guns, but the alleged Nnamdi Kanu’s voice told him to join “the elite Biafra volunteer force” and he would understand how things work. In another voice recording, a voice allegedly belonging to Nnamdi Kanu could be heard announcing a “total sit-at-home situation in the southeast tomorrow”. “Nobody is allowed to come out no matter who you are. If you dare open your shop tomorrow we’ll burn you inside that shop,”! The voice threatened. Also, another audio recording was played wherein the alleged Nnamdi Kanu voice could be heard telling a man over the phone that “there are some guns already on Edo State, take those guns and kill some army officers, take their guns and use it to attack the others”. PW2-Mr BBB told the court that the recordings had been played to Nnamdi Kanu and he admitted that he made them. Another video was played showing Nnamdi Kanu addressing people in what looked like a conference. In the video, Kanu made some remarks which included that guns and weapons were needed for the Biafran struggle. The last video showed Kanu saying that the Fulani ethnic group wants to take over the entire country as they took over Hausa territories. “The only way to stop this is by a revolution,” he said. In another video that was played in court, one voice which the DSS witness said belongs Nnamdi Kanu could be heard telling people to “go and burn down Lagos”, “set Murtala Mohammed Airport on fire”, “burn down that Tinubu hotel”, “go into the bush, collect policemen’s guns and kill them”, etc. Also, in another video, that same voice that is allegedly Nnamdi Kanu’s could be heard saying “every Federal government building in Lagos should be set on fire. Any government vehicle you see, burn them. Manufacture your own weapons, ambush them”. Yet in another audio recording, a voice allegedly belonging to Kanu was addressing people who called into his program thus: “any police officer you kill, go to their station and set it on fire. Kill them. They are janjaweeds”. The voice also said “Tinubu is in trouble, he cannot run. Anywhere he runs to in this world we will find him”. “If we don’t behave like mad people in this zoological republic, this revolution will not work”. “Start killing soldiers now, set ambush for them, dig holes on the roads so that when their vehicle come it will somersault and they will die”. One of the callers that said he’s from Ogbor Hill in Aba said they need guns, but the alleged Nnamdi Kanu’s voice told him to join “the elite Biafra volunteer force” and he would understand how things work. In another voice recording, a voice allegedly belonging to Nnamdi Kanu could be heard announcing a “total sit-at-home situation in the southeast tomorrow”. “Nobody is allowed to come out no matter who you are. If you dare open your shop tomorrow we’ll burn you inside that shop,”!the voice threatened. Also, another audio recording was played wherein the alleged Nnamdi Kanu voice could be heard telling a man over the phone that “there are some guns already on Edo state, take those guns and kill some army officers, take their guns and use it to attack the others”. A CD plate of Nnamdi Kanu’s interview/interrogation at the DSS headquarters on July 17, 2021, was also presented in court. Though the defense team objected to its admissibility, they said their reasons would be given later. The CD plate and the accompanying certificate of compliance were accepted in evidence and marked exhibit PWI and PWI-1 respectively. The Federal Government gazette of September 20, 2017, which proscribed IPOB as a terrorist organization was also presented in court and admitted in evidence, marked exhibit PWJ. Prosecution counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, asked for the court for an adjournment until Thursday May 8, 2025 for continuation of hearing.
Admin | 2025-05-07 14:17:03