Mathew Amaechi
The Department of State Services (DSS) told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday that radio broadcasts made by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), were a key driver behind the economic disruption and violence in the South-East region.
A prosecution witness, identified in court only as Mr DDD for security reasons, said Kanu’s inflammatory broadcasts directly incited the enforcement of IPOB’s sit-at-home orders, which significantly paralysed commercial activities across the region.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), the DSS operative said:
“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.”
The witness also described how Kanu allegedly smuggled a radio transmitter into Nigeria, concealing it in household items to avoid detection by the Nigeria Customs Service. The device was reportedly hidden at the residence of one Benjamin Madubougu in Ihiala, Anambra State.
According to Mr DDD, Kanu used the transmitter to broadcast secessionist messages and incite violence against the Nigerian state. He testified that during a search of Madubougu’s home — conducted under a warrant issued on October 28, 2015, by the Chief Magistrate Court in Ihiala — DSS operatives recovered the transmitter alongside firearms, cartridges, Indian hemp, and Biafran currency.
The court admitted a certified true copy of the search warrant and allowed a video clip, presented by the prosecution, showing Kanu inspecting the smuggled transmitter. In the video, Kanu reportedly described the device as a “nuclear weapon” and a “game changer” for Biafra.
The footage also showed Kanu issuing a stern warning to residents in the South-East not to defy a sit-at-home directive scheduled for May 31, 2021, threatening violence against any violators.
Additionally, the prosecution tendered a flash drive containing 18 video clips and 16 audio broadcasts linked to Kanu. Despite objections from the defence, led by Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), the court admitted the material into evidence.
In a further development, the court was presented with a newspaper publication from Vanguard, in which an alleged member of IPOB’s militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), claimed Kanu had ordered the collection of 2,000 human heads for burial rites — although only 30 were allegedly secured.
The defence challenged the admissibility of the article, but it was accepted by the court alongside a certificate of compliance.
The prosecution also requested — and was granted — permission for the court to inspect the container housing the transmitter and other recovered items at the DSS facility in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Justice James Omotosho, presiding over the matter, approved the site inspection and adjourned further proceedings.
“This court is duty-bound to examine all evidence thoroughly in the pursuit of justice,” he said.
Kanu is currently standing trial on terrorism-related charges, including incitement and secessionist activities. The proceedings are expected to continue following the court’s scheduled visit to the DSS premises.