DSS Witness: How Nnamdi Kanu Hid Radio Transmitter to Spread Secessionist Messages

At the Federal High Court in Abuja, a Department of State Services (DSS) operative testified that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), allegedly smuggled a radio transmitter into Nigeria concealed in household items.

Identified only as "Mister DDD," the fourth prosecution witness told the court that the transmitter was secretly brought into the country without declaration to the Nigeria Customs Service and hidden at the home of Benjamin Madubougu in Ihiala, Anambra State.

Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Adegboyega Awomolo, the DSS official claimed Kanu used the equipment to incite violence and promote secessionist ideologies via broadcasts targeted at the Nigerian state.

The court admitted multiple pieces of evidence, including a certified search warrant issued by the Ihiala Magistrate Court in 2015 and a video allegedly showing Kanu inspecting and praising the transmitter. In the clip played in open court, Kanu reportedly called the device a "nuclear weapon for Biafra."

The witness further testified that Kanu’s broadcasts intensified enforcement of IPOB’s sit-at-home order on May 31, 2021, which led to violence and economic disruptions in the South-East, reportedly carried out by the group’s militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Additional evidence tendered and admitted includes:

• A flash drive containing 18 videos and 16 radio broadcasts linked to Kanu

• A statement by Madubougu acknowledging the transmitter’s importation without customs documentation

• A controversial newspaper article claiming Kanu ordered the collection of 2,000 human heads for burial rites, with only 30 allegedly gathered

Although the defence, led by Onyechi Ikpeazu, objected to some of the evidence, including the newspaper article, the court admitted them along with compliance certifications.

Justice James Omotoso granted the prosecution’s request to inspect the transmitter and its container—currently held at DSS headquarters—after a brief on-site court session. He admitted the items as exhibits PWY and PWZ.

The court adjourned further proceedings to June 18, 19, and 20, when the prosecution is expected to conclude its case.