How Nnamdi Kanu was arrested in 2015 – DSS operative reveals

The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed details surrounding the 2015 arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), revealing that he was apprehended in a hotel in Lagos after secretly re-entering Nigeria.

This revelation came during a terrorism trial on Tuesday, where the first prosecution witness—identified only as PWAAA for security reasons—gave testimony behind a screen. The witness, a DSS operative, was led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).

According to PWAAA, the arrest followed actionable intelligence that led the DSS to deploy an eight-man team to a hotel in Ikeja on October 15, 2015. The team conducted a room-to-room search before eventually locating and arresting Kanu.

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The witness said the operatives opted for a room-to-room search because Kanu’s name was not on the hotel’s record.

PWAAA said the operatives discovered he checked in with another native name.

Items recovered from him include IPOB pamphlets, IPOB complementary cards, laptops, IPADs, microphones, microphone stands, flash drives, power adaptors for mixers, various brands of phones, perfumes, ATM cards, and a wristwatch, among others.

The items, brought to court in four suites, were displayed and admitted as exhibits by Justice James Omotosho.

The witness told the court that the interrogation of Kanu was recorded and that he admitted to being the founder and leader of IPOB.

He added that the defendant admitted to establishing and operating Radio Biafra and that he did not register it with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

The video of Kanu’s interrogation was played in court while the statement he made on October 15, 2015, was read out.

In the video, Kanu admitted setting up Radio Biafra in London and not registering it with the NBC “because there was no need for it”.

He stated he was fighting for the emancipation of the people of Southeast, Southsouth and parts of Benue and Kogi.

Kanu claimed that freedom fighting was not a crime anywhere, including in Nigeria, but a fundamental right.

The IPOB leader also claimed not to be involved in violence.

Before proceedings began, the court granted a request by the Federal Government for prosecution witnesses to testify behind a screen and with their faces masked.

Awomolo told the court that the measure was necessary to safeguard the identities of the operatives.

“Given the sensitive nature of their roles and the security risks involved, it is imperative that these witnesses be allowed to testify anonymously,” he said.

Lead counsel to the defence, Kanu Agabi (SAN), did not oppose the motion.

Justice Omotosho agreed with the prosecution and granted the application as prayed.

The judge also pruned the number of persons who applied to observe the trial to 20, mostly family members.

Over 30 persons applied to be in court as observers, among them, the convener of “Take it Back Movement”, Omoyele Sowore, who was denied.

Justice Omotosho adjourned till Friday for the cross-examination of the witness.