In a significant development, the Federal High Court in Abuja has accepted evidence regarding a radio transmitter allegedly smuggled into Nigeria by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). During a recent hearing, a witness from the Department of State Services (DSS), referred to as DDD for security reasons, detailed how Kanu purportedly concealed the transmitter within a 20-foot container filled with household items, avoiding declaration to the Nigeria Customs Service.
As the fourth prosecution witness, DDD disclosed that the transmitter was hidden at the residence of Benjamin Madubougu in Ihiala, Anambra State. Under questioning by prosecution counsel Adegboyega Awomolo, the witness asserted that Kanu employed the transmitter to incite violence and disseminate secessionist propaganda. The court also accepted a certified search warrant issued by a chief magistrate court in Ihiala on October 28, 2015.
A video in which Kanu inspected the transmitter was presented and admitted, despite objections from the defence team led by Onyechi Ikpeazu. In the footage, Kanu praised the transmitter as a revolutionary tool for Biafra. The DSS witness confirmed that the agency had been monitoring Kanu’s activities on Radio Biafra.
Additionally, the prosecution submitted a flash drive containing 18 video clips and 16 audio broadcasts attributed to Kanu, which were admitted as evidence. One broadcast from May 29, 2021, featured Kanu disparaging southeast political leaders and declaring a sit-at-home order for May 31, threatening death to those who did not comply.
The witness indicated that this broadcast played a direct role in the economic paralysis affecting the southeast, enforced by IPOB’s militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). The court also reviewed a statement from Madubougu, confirming that Kanu did not provide any customs documentation for the transmitter. A newspaper article alleging Kanu’s directive for the collection of human heads was also admitted, despite objections from the defence.
The prosecution requested that the court inspect the 20-foot container currently held at the DSS facility, a request that was granted. Judge James Omotosho then instructed that the inspection take place with journalists present. Following the inspection, the transmitter was marked as ‘exhibit-Y’ and the container as ‘exhibit-Z’, with the case adjourned until June 18, 19, and 20 for the prosecution to conclude its case.
