Detained leader of the Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has admitted to establishing Radio Biafra
in London, saying the station was created to advance the emancipation of the
South-East, South-South, and parts of Benue and Kogi states.
Testifying in court, Kanu explained that the radio
station, duly registered in the United Kingdom, was not licensed by Nigeria’s
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) because, in his words, “there was no
need to do that.”
Kanu maintained that freedom fighting is not a crime
under Nigerian or international law, stating, “It is a fundamental right.” He
distanced himself from any form of violence, asserting that his activities were
strictly rooted in peaceful advocacy and the pursuit of self-determination.
“Freedom fighting is not a crime. It is a
constitutional right I have chosen to exercise,” he told the court.
The development came as the Federal Government
tendered in evidence a statement Kanu made in 2015, shortly after his arrest by
operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). The court admitted the
statement as part of the ongoing trial on a seven-count charge of treasonable
felony.
Security Testimony Behind Closed Doors
A DSS operative, who testified under the alias “PWAAA”
and behind a protective screen in compliance with a court order, led the arrest
team that apprehended Kanu on October 14, 2015, at the Golden Tulip Hotel, near
Lagos International Airport. The witness testified that Kanu was found in the
company of a woman at the time of arrest.
As part of the evidence presented, the DSS team
tendered video footage of the post-arrest interrogation sessions. The
recordings were played in open court and accompanied by a reading of Kanu’s
2015 statement. Kanu’s legal team, led by former Attorney-General of the
Federation Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), did not object to the submissions.
In addition, four suitcases containing various items
seized from the hotel room were brought before the court.
Prosecution Granted Witness Protection
Earlier in the session, Justice James Omotosho granted
the Federal Government’s application to shield prosecution witnesses from
public view. The judge approved the use of pseudonyms and screens to conceal
identities, citing security concerns and the sensitive nature of the case.
Prosecuting counsel Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) had
filed an ex-parte motion requesting the protection. The defence did not oppose
the move.
“While the witnesses will be shielded from the public,
they will remain visible to the court,” Justice Omotosho ruled.
Next Steps in Trial
The trial has been adjourned to May 2, 2025, for the
cross-examination of the prosecution’s first witness.
Kanu, who has long been at the centre of Nigeria’s
most high-profile separatist movement, continues to face stiff charges, even as
public debate lingers over the legitimacy and scope of his agitation for an
independent Biafran state.
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