ABUJA– Trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, resumed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, as the Department of State Services, DSS, gave more insight into what transpired when he was arrested in 2015.
The security agency, through one of its operatives that appeared as a witness in the case, told the court that on October 14, 2015, when Kanu was arrested in one of the rooms in Golden Tulip Hotel, Lagos International Airport, no weapon of terrorism was found on him.
The witness, whose identity was shielded for security reason, told the court that the lady that was found inside the hotel room with the IPOB leader, equally had no weapon in her possession.
Giving his evidence under the codename PWAAA, the witness admitted that most of the items that were retrieved from the hotel room were Kanu’s personal belongings, among which included materials for radio broadcast.
However, the operative who testified behind a protective shield, maintained that though the recovered items may not be ordinarily harmful, he said their intended usage by the defendant could be a source of problem.
While being cross-examined by Kanu’s legal team led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, the witness listed the items recovered from Kanu to include: 1 Black laptop, 2 Multi mix transmitters, 1 Mini white Apple iPad with pouch, 1 Grey Apple iPad with pouch, 1 Grey MacBook with pouch, 1 Grey MacBook with case, 1 Mini drone sound wave speaker, 2 Mini white speakers, 1 Large computer mouse, 1 White adaptor, 1 Laptop adaptor and 1 Carton bag with laptop.
Others are; Two 3G modems, 2 Glo modems, 1 Glo Hawaii modem, 1 MTN modem, 1 Etisalat modem, 1 Flash drive, 1 Camcorder, 1 Hand recorder in a black pouch, 1 MacBook Pro adaptor, 1 Mic stand, 1 Phillips headphone, 1 Radio Sharp mic with cord, 1 Pro sound mic with cord, 1 4G LTE modem, a bunch of cards, 1 Power adaptor for mixer.
1 Easy Blaze white modem, 1 Samsung phone,1 Black Motorola phone and 1 Nokia phone.
As well as; 1 Black Samsung phone, 1 Black phone, 1 D-Link black modem,
1 8GB flash drive, 1 Extension wire adaptor, 1 Pair of shoes, 1 Belt, 1 Pair of ciderwood sneakers and1 Footwear, 1 Black Softech wristwatch, 2 Singlets, 1 Sealed Hermes perfume, 1 Trinket, 1 Pokham perfume, 1 Fredrick Peckham wristwatch, 1 Diesel wristwatch, 1 Alexander Christy collection wristwatch, 1 Club wristwatch and10 items altogether.
The last set of items he listed were; 3 Bank MasterCards, Copies of documents, 1 Copy of IPOB complementary card, Documents tagged IPOB, 1 White clipper, 1 Bottle of medicine, 1 Oman perfume, 2 Mini scented oils, 1 Empty black purse, 1 Nigerian passport bearing the names Okwu Kanu Nwannekaibeya Nnamdi Ngozichukwu and 1 British passport bearing the name Okwu Kanu Nwannekaibeya, 1 Black purse, 1 Passport holder, 1 Card holder, 1 Box of Rocarden wristwatch and 4 Bundles of cords.
The recovered items, which were brought before the court in four suitcases, were earlier admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits by trial Justice James Omotosho.
Answering more questions during the cross-examination, the witness, admitted that he did not analyse any of the items as he was only mandated to arrest the defendant and obtain his statement.
Though the PWAAA admitted that Kanu’s phones were eventually analysed, he said the report of the analysis was not tendered before the court as it was not considered important.
The witness acknowledged that since over 10 years that the items were taken away from Kanu and confiscated, they would have lost their value or expired.
More so, the witness admitted that at the time Kanu’s statement was obtained, none of his lawyers were present to observe the process.
Asked if he was aware of other persons also facing trial over Biafra agitation, the witness answered in the negative, saying he does not know any person that is facing a similar trial as Kanu.
He, however, told the court that he is aware that one Simon Ekpa has been arrested and would soon be brought back to Nigeria to face trial for supporting Kanu’s agitation.
Besides, he told the court that he could not remember any time that Kanu complained about corruption in high places, high unemployment rate among youths or when he tendered apologies for insulting the President and Igbo leaders.
The operative further told the court that he could not remember anytime that Kanu described the IPOB as a non-violent voluntary organization.
While acknowledging that there have been killings in some part of the country, especially in the North, the witness said he was aware that the government has been doing its best to stem the tide.
He said he does not know if the killings had anything to do with any form of agitation for self-actualization.
Meanwhile, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter to May 6, 7 and 8 for continuation of the cross-examination.
Kanu, who was arrested upon his return to the country from the United Kingdom, is answering to a seven-count charge the FG preferred against him.
It will be recalled that the court had on April 25, 2017, granted him bail on health ground, after he had spent about 18 months in detention.
Upon the perfection of the bail conditions, he was on April 28, 2017, released from the Kuje prison.
However, midway into the trial, the IPOB leader escaped from the country after soldiers invaded his country home at Afara Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, an operation that led to the death of some of his followers.
Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021 and extraordinarily renditioned back to the country by security agents on June 27, 2021.
Owing to the development, the trial court, on June 29, 2021, remanded him in custody of DSS, where he remained till date.
On April 8, 2022, the court struck out eight out of the 15-count charge that FG preferred against him on the premise that they lacked substance.
Likewise, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanu’s immediate release from detention even as it quashed the charge against him.
Dissatisfied with the decision, FG took the matter before the Supreme Court, even as it persuaded the appellate court to suspend the execution of the judgement, pending the determination of its appeal.
While deciding the appeal, the Supreme Court, on December 15, 2023, vacated the judgement of the appellate court and gave FG the nod to try the IPOB leader on the subsisting seven-count charge.
