Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was again the focus of courtroom drama on Wednesday as the Federal High Court in Abuja resumed his trial.
The Department of State Services (DSS) accused him of inciting widespread violence in Nigeria’s South East region through provocative broadcasts on Radio Biafra.
A key DSS operative, testifying as the fourth prosecution witness (PW-4), told the court that Kanu’s radio speeches ordered direct attacks on security personnel.
The witness, whose identity was hidden and was only referred to as PW-DDD, shared that these broadcasts led to the deaths of nearly 200 security officers in the region. “He gave instructions that some individuals, including security agents, should be dealt with,” the witness said.
The DSS also connected Kanu’s messages to the killing of Ahmed Gulak, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. The witness claimed he was one of the first security officers to arrive at the scene in Owerri, Imo State, where Gulak was shot on May 30, 2021.
According to him, Gulak’s vehicle took an alternate route to the airport after being blocked by Nigerian Air Force officers, only to encounter a checkpoint manned by suspected IPOB members.
The witness said Gulak was ordered out of the vehicle along with others. When asked to speak Igbo, Gulak could not respond fluently. “He is one of them!” one of the attackers shouted, after seeing a Muslim prayer mark on his forehead, the witness stated. Gulak was then shot dead.
Further allegations from the DSS included the smuggling of an illegal radio transmitter by Kanu, which was reportedly found in Ubuluisiuzor, Anambra State, hidden in the home of one Benjamin Madubugu.
Engineers from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) examined the equipment and moved it to Abuja. A certified copy of their findings was presented in court.
The witness also read reports from Vanguard Newspaper that quoted a captured Eastern Security Network (ESN) commander, Uzuoma Benjamin, also known as “Onye Army.”
In the publication, the commander allegedly confessed that Kanu gave bizarre burial instructions for a deceased ESN member, ordering the use of 2,000 human heads. It was also reported that the group used the heads of ten girls to make protective charms.
The DSS officer said Kanu encouraged an attack on the Owerri prison in one of his broadcasts, urging his followers to strike against government forces.
According to him, DSS raids later uncovered gruesome scenes in ESN camps, where some members were found with human heads. “Some were even eating human flesh, claiming it gave them spiritual strength,” the witness told the court.
Describing ESN members as armed fighters, the officer said they often hijacked vehicles and attacked homes of notable people and traditional rulers. He noted that several police stations and other public properties were destroyed by the group.
When questioned by the defense, the witness admitted he was unaware if the radio transmitter was legally imported. He also said there was no proof that IPOB had a license to run a radio station.
