The long-running trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), resumed on Friday in Abuja with new revelations; this time from a key witness who told the court he found no weapons or items linked to terrorism on Kanu.
The hearing, held before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, continued behind protective screens, a measure approved by the court to shield prosecution witnesses.
The Federal Government’s legal team was led by senior advocate Adegboyega Awomolo, while Kanu’s defence was handled by former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi.
Friday’s cross-examination focused on the testimony of a Department of State Services (DSS) operative, referred to only as “AAA”, who was the first prosecution witness.
During the session, AAA confirmed that he was among five officers present in a video shown in court but noted that his personal role in Kanu’s case was limited to arresting him, obtaining his statement, and escorting him to Abuja.
When asked whether any of the items taken from Kanu at the time of his arrest were outrightly offensive or dangerous, he responded, “No.” He further confirmed that only Kanu’s phone was analysed, but the findings were not submitted in evidence because they were deemed irrelevant.
On whether any instrument of terrorism was found on the defendant, AAA was clear: “No.”
Agabi pressed further: “Do you agree that in the 10 years since you confiscated these items, many of them have lost their use?”
“Yes,” AAA responded. He also admitted that while the DSS returned some items to Kanu, he personally did not keep the inventory.
AAA said he found nothing on the woman who was with Kanu at the time of arrest and did not consider her a facilitator of terrorism either.
When asked whether any of Kanu’s alleged co-conspirators had been charged alongside him, AAA said he did not know of any others currently standing trial in the case.
“I put it to you that there’s no other person in the whole of Nigeria who is standing terrorism trial for Biafra agitation except the defendant,” Agabi told him. The witness did not dispute that but noted that others had previously faced trial and mentioned Simon Ekpa as one of Kanu’s known supporters.
He acknowledged that efforts were underway to extradite Ekpa to Nigeria.
Under cross-examination, AAA also said Kanu may not have personally destroyed any property but was known to make inflammatory social media posts. However, he could not confirm if anyone had acted violently as a direct result of Kanu’s statements.
Asked about Kanu’s comments on Nigeria, AAA recalled: “He called Nigeria a zoo.” He couldn’t remember whether Kanu had talked about corruption or unemployment but did recall that Kanu said IPOB does not bear arms.
Agabi then pointed to killings and insecurity in other parts of Nigeria, especially in the North—Kaduna, Zamfara, Benue, and Plateau—asking whether those were related to separatist agitations. “To the best of my knowledge, no,” AAA replied.
He insisted that Nigeria’s highways were “to a larger extent” safe.
When confronted with the reality of violence in farms, churches, schools, and on trains, AAA agreed the killings were not linked to any agitation for separation.
Kanu’s trial has been ongoing since 2015, after he was arrested in Lagos and charged with terrorism and treasonable felony. The case suffered multiple delays, partly due to Kanu fleeing Nigeria and the initial complexity of charging him alongside others. In 2018, Justice Binta Nyako separated his case from that of his co-defendants. Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya and returned to Nigeria in 2021.
After years of legal twists and adjournments, Friday’s hearing marked a renewed effort by the prosecution to move the trial forward though with testimony that appeared to favour the defence.
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