Trial for terrorism: FG fixes the order of the Court to protect the identity of the witnesses while Nnamdi Kanu denies the connection to violence – Thage

By Victor Osula, Abuja

The High Federal Court of Abuja has granted the request of the Federal Government to protect the identities of his witnesses in the process in progress terrorism of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader detained for Biafra’s natives (IPOB).

Kanu is facing a modified accusation of seven counts on the border with betrayal and terrorism, presented after the Supreme Court on December 15, 2023, canceled a previous sentence by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal had, on October 13, 2022, canceled all the accusations of terrorism against him and ordered his liberation.

From his rebirth in Kenya on June 19, 2021 and subsequent extradition to Nigeria, Kanu remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

On Tuesday, in a sentence, judge James Omotosho granted a ex-Parte motion presented by the accusation, allowing the witnesses to testify behind a screen, with their real names replaced by pseudonyms. The judge will still be able to see the witnesses, but will remain hidden from the public.

The prosecutor’s prosecutor, Adegboyega Awomolo (San), argued that the identities of the witnesses needed protection due to the sensitive nature of the case and security concerns. Kanu’s legal team, led by Kanu Agabi (San), did not oppose the question.

Tuesday the federal government also presented its first witness of the accusation, identified only as Pwaaa and offered a video of Kanu’s interrogation by the DSS agents.

In the video played in the open field, Kanu admitted to founding the Biafra radio and said he was fighting for the emancipation of people from the south-east, south-south and in parts of the States of Benue and Kogi. However, he denied any involvement in violence or killings in the south-east, insisting on the fact that his agitation was a legitimate search for self-determination.

Judge Omotosho admitted the evidence of the interrogation video, the Kanu declaration made on October 15, 2015 and various objects recovered from his hotel room in the same year.

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