Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has heard how between 170 and 200 security agents were killed in the South-East region due to the activities of the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The court was also told that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) did not issue any licence to the detained self-acclaimed IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to import the radio transmitter he allegedly smuggled into the country to operate Radio Biafra.
During the continuation of Kanu’s trial in court, Wednesday, an official of the Department of State Services (DSS) gave the evidence as the fourth prosecution witness.
The witness, led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), told the court that one ESN member he identified as Uzuoma Benjamin, a.k.a Onye Army, spoke about how they allegedly received directives from Kanu to kill security agents and ensure that a deceased member of the group, Ikonso, was buried with 2,000 human heads.
The DSS official said further investigation revealed that of the 2,000 human heads sought to bury Ikonso, only 30 were eventually sourced.
He also gave details of how the late former aide to ex-President Gooluck Jonathan, Barr. Ahmed Gulak, was killed on May 30, 2021, in Owerri, Imo State capital.
The witness also read where the said ‘Onye Army’ claimed that himself and other members of his group used the heads of 10 girls to prepare charms for their protection.
He said investigation revealed that the invasion of Owerri Prison by IPOB members was directed by Kanu in one of his broadcasts to his followers to attack and kill security operatives of the Fedaral Government of Nigeria.
The witness said shortly after himself and members of his team recovered the transmitter from a premises in Ubuluisiuzor, Anambra State, and brought it to Abuja, the DSS wrote the NBC to inspect it.
The witness told the court that on November 9, 2015, the NBC sent an Engineer, who inspected the transmitter and wrote a report thereafter.
Awomolo, thereafter, tendered a certified true copy (CTC) of the provisional assessment of radio transmitter report submitted by the NBC.
The witness was asked to read a portion of the report, which he did. He said the report indicated that the transmitter was a German-made and that it was indeed a radio transmitter made for use on FM band.
The witness said the report also stated that such transmitter could only be procured and installed after being issued a licence and that the NBC has not licensed Radio Biafra to broadcast in Nigeria.
The DSS official added that investigation by his team revealed that for one to operate a radio station in the country, one must apply to a regulator, who will issue one a licence after due clearance by relevant security agencies.
The DSS witness said: “In this case (Kanu’s case), there was no application from the defendant, he brought the transmitter in illegally without approval.”
He also said investigation confirmed that the defendant is the owner of the transmitter, which he kept in the premises of one Benjamin Madubugu.
The witness said Kanu later came into the country and inspected the transmitter and made a video to satisfy members of the IPOB, who contributed money for the purchase of the transmitter.
He also read from some publications of the Vanguard newspaper, where it was reported that an arrested commander of ESN confessed to the activities of his group.
He said when the DSS requested from the police to access ‘Onye Army’, the police claimed he had escaped from custody.
He said during one of DSS agents’ raids of ESN members’ hideout, “we saw some ESN members, about seven, with human heads and some eating human flesh, which they said was for spiritual fortification.
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