By Jane Okafor, Abuja
The Federal High Court in Abuja has heard how the broadcasts made by the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, allegedly led to the kìlling of a former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, and others.
An official of the Department of State Services (DSS) who doubled as the second prosecution witness told the court on Thursday as he resumed his testimony in the ongoing terrorism trial of the embattled Nnamdi Kanu.
The witness, a member of the DSS’ team that investigated the complaint made against Kanu by the then Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, said the defendant’s broadcast also led to the killing of a retired judge, Justice Stanley Nnaji, and an intending military couple, Sergeant Audu Lucas and Private Glory Matthew.
The witness said Kanu, in one of his broadcasts, ordered his followers to enforce a sit-at-home in all Southeastern states and in the process, many people, who went out of their houses on that day, were killed.
He said investigation revealed that Sergeant Lucas and Private Matthew were not only killed by those who were enforcing Kanu’s sit-at-home order, but they were also beheaded.
The witness said the investigation also revealed that before killing Gulak, those enforcing the directive, blamed him (Gulak) for coming out on a day their leader asked people not to go out of their homes.
He added that Kanu founded IPOB and Eastern Security Network (ESN), which is the armed wing of IPOB, and that he was the leader of both groups.
“We were also able to establish that he (Kanu) founded Radio Biafra through which he made inciting comments like the killing of police officers and burning of property,” the witness said.
He added that they also found that Radio Biafra was not registered in Nigeria and that, owing to Kanu’s broadcast, police stations in Cele and Ilasa (both in Lagos) were burnt by his followers.
The witness said about 100 luxury buses belonging to the Lagos State Government and part of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos State were burnt as allegedly directed by Kanu in one of his broadcasts.
The witness added: “He (Kanu) not only called for the killing of security officers, he called for them to be beheaded, which they (his followers) did.”
He said their investigation revealed that Kanu’s agitation for Biafra was for the Southeast and parts of Benue and Kogi states to secede from Nigeria, adding that the defendant “called for the establishment of the state of Biafra by any means possible, including war.”
The video recording of the session where investigators, including the witness, interrogated Kanu and obtained a written statement from him, was played in court.
The witness identified Kanu in the video as well as two of his lawyers who were with him during the session, including Alloy Ejimakor.
The interrogation session took place in a convivial atmosphere as Kanu, his lawyers and the DSS official were seen in the video throwing banters and laughing intermittently.
Kanu also confirmed being the founder and leader of IPOB and ESN in the clip.
At a point during the interaction, Kanu sought and was granted permission to ease himself. He went into the restroom, returned a moment later, and the interview session continued.
Kanu said he was not directly involved in the day-to-day running of both organisations (IPOB and ESN), which he said were managed by their states’ coordinators.
The defendant also said, in the video, that he made broadcasts in respect of the #EndSARS protest and other broadcasts on Radio Biafra.
He said the protest that took place in Lagos during the #EndSARS protest was outside the Biafran territory and that the destruction witnessed during the protest could not have been a result of his broadcast.
Kanu said he does not have authority over his members, adding that if he had authority over them, he would not have subscribed to a referendum, but would have just pronounced Biafra into existence.
In the video, Kanu denied that IPOB is responsible for the violent attacks in some parts of the Southeast and the killings witnessed, adding: “IPOB is a peaceful movement. The IPOB is a non-violent movement.”
Kanu, who said he facilitated the establishment of ESN, explained that the organisation was necessitated by the killings of the people of the Southeast.
He added: “If you look at what was happening in our land, that was what gave rise to ESN. If our people cannot go to the farm, and people are killed in their land, do you sit down and do nothing?
“People can no longer go to the farm; people can no longer carry out their economic activities.”
Kanu faulted the invasion of his house by soldiers, which he said accounted for why he left the country for fear of being killed.
He argued that the invasion was unnecessary and also faulted the manner he was arrested in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria.
After the witness’s examination in chief, lawyer to the defendant, Paul Erokoro (SAN), sought an adjournment for the defence to cross-examine him.
Justice James Omotosho adjourned till May 14, 21 and 22 for further hearing.
