A prosecution witness identified as PW4-DDD on Friday described the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as a terrorist during a session at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Testifying under cross-examination by the defence, the Department of State Services (DSS) agent told the court that Kanu has consistently incited secessionist movements in Nigeria’s South-East through inflammatory broadcasts.
PW4-DDD made the statement during the resumed trial of Kanu, who is facing terrorism-related charges before Justice James Omotosho. The witness, shielded for security reasons, was presented by the prosecuting counsel, who asked if he knew Kanu.
“Yes, he is IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been calling for the break-up and secession of the South-East from Nigeria. He is a terrorist,” the DSS agent stated.
When asked how he came to know Kanu, the witness responded: “I knew him when he was arrested in Lagos, and he incites people through Radio Biafra.”
The witness further revealed that Kanu hid the transmitter used for Radio Biafra broadcasts at the residence of one Benjamin Madubugwu in Ubuluisiiuzo. “I was to carry out the search, locate the transmitter, and retrieve it,” he said.
According to Hobnob News, Kanu was first arrested in 2017 but was released on bail. He later fled to Europe following a military raid on his home in Afaraukwu, Abia State. In June 2021, he was rearrested in Kenya and subjected to extraordinary rendition back to Nigeria, where he has remained in DSS custody since.
The high-profile case continues to generate national and international attention, with human rights groups and political stakeholders weighing in on issues surrounding due process and freedom of expression. The trial is set to continue in the coming weeks.
