A Federal Government witness in Nnamdi Kanu’s terrorism trial has told an Abuja Federal High Court that the IPOB leader admitted smuggling the Biafra Radio transmitter into Anambra State in 2015.
The witness codenamed PWCCC, an operative of the Department of State Service (DSS), said that Kanu while being interrogated confessed to setting up the radio station at Ubuluisiuzor, in Ihiala local government area of Anambra State.
At the resumption of the trial on Wednesday, the DSS witness also informed the court that Kanu admitted that he established Radio Biafra to advance the self determination cause of the people of South-East region of the country.
The DSS had earlier in the month tendered audio recordings of Kanu’s broadcasts from the radio station as exhibits in which the defendant was heard calling for the killing of several prominent Nigerians.
A DSS officer also told the court that Kanu’s broadcasts incited many of his supporters to carry out attacks on some prominent Nigerians and institutions.
The PWCCC, a third prosecution witness, told the court on Wednesday that Kanu on November 4, 2015, in an interview with his colleagues, admitted smuggling a radio transmitter into Nigeria.
The video clip of the November 4, 2015 interview session with DSS officers where Kanu admitted inspecting the radio transmitter he installed in Ubuluisiuzor, Anambra State, was played in court and admitted as exhibit.
Drama however ensued when the Federal Government through its lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, tendered one of the statements made by Kanu.
In the unfolding drama, Kanu after being shown the statement by his lead lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, claimed that he made it under duress and not voluntarily.
He also claimed that the statement in which he severely indicted himself on some unlawful actions of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB was made without the presence of his lawyer.
Based on the allegations, Justice James Omotosho ordered that trial within trial be conducted to ascertain the genuineness of Kanu’s allegations.
Among others, Kanu said the coercion started from Lagos when they were transporting him from Lagos to Abuja, where a DSS officer struck him, chained and blindfolded him.
During cross-examination by Awomolo, Kanu maintained that his detention at the DSS in 2015 was without any court order, and that his interview were taken without his lawyers, and the atmosphere was not conducive.
The PWAAA however debunked Kanu’s allegations, saying the interviews were conducted in the most conducive and harmonious atmosphere.
He urged the court to dismiss the allegations for being baseless, unfounded and an afterthought.
After the argument, Justice Omotosho asked Awomolo and Agabi to prepare their written addresses and file same tomorrow May 29 for their adoption by 12 noon on Friday and for ruling to be delivered by 2:00 pm, on whether to admit the statement or not.
The judge subsequently adjourned further proceedings to May 29.
