By SpringNewsNG Media Limited | May 29, 2025

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he was forced by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to make confessional statements under duress following his arrest in 2015.

Kanu made this claim during a trial-within-a-trial initiated by the court to determine the voluntariness of the statements he allegedly made while in DSS custody.

The development occurred after the prosecution called its third witness, identified as CCC, who stated—like previous witnesses AAA and BBB—that he was part of the DSS team that interrogated Kanu in 2015.

According to the witness, the IPOB leader was interviewed on October 21, 22, 23, 24, and November 4, and the sessions were both recorded on video and followed by written statements allegedly signed by Kanu. Federal government counsel Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) tendered two video compact discs (CDs) and three written statements as evidence.

Although the defence team initially did not oppose the exhibits, senior advocate Paul Erokoro, one of Kanu’s lawyers, later objected—stating that Kanu informed him the statements were extracted through coercion and threats.

Erokoro told the court that DSS officers:

Denied Kanu access to legal representation during the interrogation.

Threatened to block his bail application.

Withheld his medically recommended one-hour daily fresh air, aggravating his health condition.

Justice James Omotosho ordered a trial-within-a-trial to investigate whether the statements were made voluntarily.

While being cross-examined, the DSS witness claimed Kanu willingly wrote the statements and insisted there were no threats involved. However, he admitted he never entered Kanu’s cell and would not know if other officers threatened him.

Erokoro challenged the witness, saying:

“If a DSS officer like Mr. Brown threatened the defendant in his cell, you wouldn’t know.”

During his own testimony, Kanu described his experience as torture, saying he was blindfolded, shackled, and flown to an undisclosed location before being held in solitary confinement with no light. He claimed that Mr. Brown, an Assistant Director of Investigations at DSS, threatened him with extended isolation if he did not comply during the interrogations.

Kanu also alleged that:

He suffered nosebleeds due to poor prison conditions.

He was only granted one hour of fresh air daily after a medical recommendation.

DSS officers manipulated parts of the video recordings, and forced him to write specific statements.

Following his testimony, the trial-within-a-trial was closed. Justice Omotosho directed both the prosecution and defence to submit their final written addresses by 9 a.m. on May 29, 2025.