
As the trial of Biafra nation agitator Nnamdi Kanu Continues, the Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted three videos including one where the defendant is seen inspecting a radio transmitter allegedly smuggled into the country. This is one of the highlights at the resumed hearing of the terrorism trial where Kanu alleged that he made statements under duress, sometime in October and November 2015.
The Radio Biafra transmitter known as “Tram 50L” was kept at Ubuluisiuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State where he carried out an inspection. The third prosecution witness, an operative of the Department of State Services, known as Mr. CCC, during the trial-within-trial dismissed claims that DSS used threats of solitary confinement to extract statements from the defendant.
The defendant had claimed that one Mr. Brown, a DSS operative, made the threat about solitary confinement in the ‘dungeon.’ But the witness clarified that the names of the officers who took part in the interview are James, Ibrahim and Collins, with no Mr. Brown among them.
Mr. CCC stated that Kanu was given presidential treatment and expressed shock at the allegations of using any form of force to get him to make certain statements including calling Presidents Jonathan and Buhari unprintable names, and also alleging that Senator Rochas Okorocha ‘Islamized’ his people.
These are statements he allegedly made when he granted an interview with a US-based online medium known as Sahara Reporters. It was during the same interview that, according to the witness, Kanu used the term ‘Zoo’ to refer to Nigeria. The contentious items are three written statements made at the DSS Headquarters by Kanu on October 23rd, 24th and November 4th, 2015. These statements along with video recording of his oral statements of October 21 and 23, 2015 were also tendered.
Justice James Omotosho took the path of trial within trial to clear the air on the admissibility or otherwise of the statements the defendant claims were gotten under duress. The judge, in a ruling, said in law, whenever an issue of involuntariness is raised, the Evidence