Nnamdi Kanu order im fighters to bury Ipob commander wit 2000 human heads - Witness tok for court

BBC News

18-06-2025

Di trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of di Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), continue dis Wednesday bifor Justice James Omotosho of di Federal High Court Abuja, wia one prosecution witness tok say di proscribed organisation kill up to 200 security personnel for di southeast region.
Dis witness, Mr DDD, na di fourth pesin wey di Nigeria goment dey call since di trial begin, and im na official of di Department of State Services, DSS wey work for Imo State betwnee 2019 and 2022.
E also narrate to court how DSS use some ogbonge digital tools to geolocate and recover di radio transmitter wey Kanu bin allegedly import into di kontri.
Dem later locate di container for di house of one Benjamin Madubugwu for one community for Ihiala in Anambra State wey im name na Ubuluisiuzor.
"Di transmitter dey inside container, but dem use oda household items like mattresses, washing machine and oda tins to cover am," Mr DDD tok.
DSS also search di house of Madubugwu and recover two pump action guns for im bedroom, so dem arrest am.
According to di DSS witness, Madubugwu tell dem say one man - Igwe Anyiba - bin beg am to keep di container for im house, and e go keep di empty container afta di owner collect wetin dey inside.
Mr DDD also say wen dem arrest Nnamdi Kanu, dem bring am face to face to Benjamin Madubugwu, and Kanu admit bifor am say na im get di container and di transmitter.
However, during cross examination, Onyechi Ikpeazu who be one of Kanu lawyers tell di court say na one Denca clearing and forwarding agency bin import and clear di container from di port, no be Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu order im fighters to bury dia commander wit 2000 human heads
Also during im testimony, Mr DDD tell di court about one Ipob commander - Benjamin Uzoma, a.k.a Onye Army - wey police arrest and e confess to plenty crime wey e bin commit.
Adegboyega Awomolo, lawyer of di Federal Goment, present di court one Vanguard Newspaper of July 3, 2021 wey contain di report of di arrest.
For inside di newspaper article, di suspect - Onye Army - confess say Nnamdi Kanu order dem to use 2000 human heads to bury one of dia commander Iko Nso, wey police bin kill, and so far, dem bin don kill 30 pipo bifor police arrest am.
Also, di publication quote say Onye army also confess say Nnamdi Kanu order dem to kill security officials, members of di Eastern Security Network (ESN) use 10 virgins to do juju to protect diasef, and say ESN and Ipob fighters na di pipo wey attack di Imo State Prison.
Mr DDD tok say di DSS bin wan interview di suspect but police tell dem say e don escape from custody and dem neva find am reach now.
Di witness also narrate how DSS officials conduct raids for Ipob camps inside Orsu for Imo State and Lilu for Anambra State, wia dem kill some ESN fighters but also find out say di Ipob fighters dey engage in cannibalism to fortify diasef.
In total, Mr DDD say di number of security officials wey Ipob/ESN pipo bin kill for di region na between 170 and 200, including Police pipo, Immigration pipo, DSS pipo, Civil Defence pipo and Army pipo.
E say for one instance, di group attack one police station for Njaba, kill evribodi dia and start to dey use di station as dia base; e hard bifor security pipo pursue dem from dia.
"Dis Ipob pipo dey always move in large numbers, dem dey carry arms, dem go block road and snatch cars from pipo to take go operation, and sometimes, dem dey inform communities say dem go attack," di witness tok.
Mr DDD also tell court say na Ipob/ESN fighters kill Ahmed Gulak, a chieftain of di All Progressives Congress (APC) who bin visit Imo State on di invitation of di Govnor, Hope Uzodinma.
E say dem kill am on May 30, wey be di day Kanu order sit-at-home.
However, during cross-examination, Onyechi Ikpeazu, one of Kanu lawyers point out say Gulak na politician, and na im be di chairman of di primary election wey produce Uzodinma as di APC govnorship candidate for Imo State.
Ikpeazu ask di witness why e be say di killers kill only Gulak, but dem no touch di driver of im vehicle and di oda passenger wey dey wit am dat time.
E also point out say di govment of Imo State later come out to explain say di killing of Gulak dey politically motivated.
Ikpeazu also ask di witness weda e hear di broadcast wia Nnamdi Kanu dey condemn attacks on public facilities like markets, churches, mosques, etc, and DDD say e hear am.
Di witness bin don tok earlier say Kanu broadcasts show say e hate anybodi wey no be Igbo, but Ikpeazu ask am weda Ipob attack di Yoruba and Hausa communities for Onitsha in Anambra State, and e say no.
Afta di cross-examination, Justice Omotosho adjourn di matter to Thursday, 19 June, 2025 for continuation and for di prosecution to possibly close dia case.
Di charges against Nnamdi Kanu
Dis na di seven-count charges wey di Nigeria goment bin sama against Nnamdi Kanu: