By Olaitan Ibrahim
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, admitted in evidence, video clips containing a series of inflammatory broadcasts that were made by the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The videos, which were contained in a flash drive, were played in the open court after the Federal Government tendered them through an operative of the Department of State Services, DSS, which was codenamed PW-BBB.
In one of the videos, Kanu, who is answering to a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism and treasonable felony, was seen announcing the creation of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, which was described as the armed wing of the IPoB.
Kanu equally declared a lockdown in the entire South-East region of the country, in furtherance of his Biafra secessionist agenda.
One of the videos the court admitted in evidence, was tagged: “Broadcast by Nnamdi Kanu.”
The IPoB leader was seen in the clip, addressing his followers on what he called “The Blessed Land of Biafra.”
While announcing the formation of the ESN, he implored his followers to rise and defend their land against what he referred to as “Fulani domination.”
He further warned political leaders in the region against compromise, even as he issued a directive that forbade the presence of Fulani herdsmen in the South-East.
Kanu, specifically declared in the video that: “No Fulani parading as herdsmen shall be allowed in our land. If you are an agent of the Fulani, turn away this evening.”
Led in evidence by Federal Government’s lead prosecutor, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, the witness, who testified behind a protective screen, maintained that Kanu’s broadcasts precipitated various acts of terrorism in the South-East.
Despite spirited objection from Kanu’s legal team led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi, SAN, trial Justice James Omotosho admitted the video recordings and the accompanying certificate of compliance, and marked them as Exhibits PWA and PW1, respectively.
Likewise, the court admitted as Exhibit PWF, a letter dated June 17, 2021, through which the then AGF, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, directed the DSS to investigate Kanu for allegedly engaging in acts of terrorism, murder, and inciting violence in the South East.
The witness, who read from the letter, insisted that Kanu’s broadcasts were followed by coordinated attacks on police stations and correctional facilities, resulting in the loss of lives and property.
He quoted a portion of the letter where Kanu allegedly instructed that security operatives should be brought down and their weapons seized.
In another video clip recorded on December 12, 2020, which was played in the court, the IPoB leader was seen in a broadcast, declaring: “In the blessed land of Biafra, we must do everything to save ourselves from extinction.”
He described Nigeria as a “zoo” and called for resistance against what he termed as Fulani domination, just as he accused Igbo political leaders of betraying their people.
More so, Kanu, in another video, introduced the ESN, which he compared with another regional security outfit in the South West, Amotekun, which he said was established to defend the South-East from Fulani herders.
Besides, the court viewed footage from the #EndSARS protests, where Kanu was seen directing attacks on police and government facilities.
Another video dated May 30, 2021, showed Kanu declaring a total lockdown in the South-East in memory of fallen Biafrans even as he instructed residents not to leave their homes.
He was also seen in another clip, asking his followers to procure guns and bullets for self-defence, referencing threats from Boko Haram and Fulani herders he labelled as terrorists.
The official gazette that proscribed the IPoB as a terrorist organisation, dated September 20, 2017, was also admitted in evidence by the court.
Meanwhile, following an application by the prosecution counsel, Justice Omotosho adjourned further proceedings in the case till today.
It will be recalled that Kanu was arrested on October 14, 2015, upon his return to the country from the United Kingdom.
Following his arraignment, the court, on April 25, 2017, granted him bail on health grounds 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 charges 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 judgment, pending the determination of its appeal.
While deciding the appeal, the Supreme Court, on December 15, 2023, vacated the judgment of the appellate court and gave FG the nod to try the IPOB leader on the subsisting seven-count charge.