A Federal High Court in Abuja was told how the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) killed a former presidential aide, Ahmad Gulak, in Imo State in 2021.
An operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) made the depositions during his testimony as the fourth prosecution witness, in the ongoing terrorism trial of Kanu.
The operatives also told the court that between 170 and 200 security agents in the South East lost their lives due to the activities of IPOB and ESN.
According to the DSS official, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) did not grant license to detained self-acclaimed IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to import the radio transmitter he allegedly smuggled into the country to operate Radio Biafra.
The witness, being cross examined by prosecuting lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), identified one ESN member Uzuoma Benjamin, aka Onye Army, spoke about how they were ordered by Kanu to kill security agents and ensure that a deceased member of the group, Ikonso, was buried with 2000 human heads.
The DSS official said further investigation revealed that of the 2000 human heads sought to bury Ikonso, only 30 were eventually sourced.
The witness also read where the said Onye Army said himself and other members of his group used the heads of 10 girls to prepare charms for protection.
According to the the DSS official, investigation showed that the invasion of Owerri prison by IPOB members was ordered by Kanu in one of his broadcasts for his followers to attack and kill Nigeria’s security operatives.
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 recalled that on November 9, 2015 the NBC sent an Engineer, who inspected the transmitter and wrote a report.
Awomolo then submitted a certified true copy of the provisional assessment of radio transmitter report submitted by the NBC.
The witness read a portion of the report, saying the report indicated that the transmitter was a German made and that it was indeed a radio transmitter made for use on FM frequency.
The report also showed 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 witness said, adding 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 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 confirmed that the defendant is the owner of the transmitter, which he kept in the premises of one Benjamin Madubugu.
According to him, 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’ raid 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.
“We could not find Onye Army. The police said he had escaped from custody.”
He said there are records about the number of security agents allegedly killed in the South East and that the number stands between 170 and 200.
The witness who said two DSS officials, including his driver, were among the victims, said they cut across all security agencies.
He said the ESN terrorists are combatants, who carry arms and attacked homes of prominent individuals and traditional rulers in the region, adding that because they lacked sufficient operational tools, they sometimes set up roadblocks during which they hijack vehicles for their operation.
The witness identified some public property which he said IPOB and ESN members attacked and destroyed in the South East, including police stations.
The witness said he was among the first to arrive the scene where the late politician was killed and his corpse recovered.
He recalled that on May 30, 2021 there was a total breakdown of law and order, as a result of the stay-at-home order given by Kanu, through one of his broadcasts.
The witness said later that day one of his officers informed him that a prominent politician was killed around Obiagwu and that when they got to the spot, they saw what happened .
He said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area told him that Gulak was in a hired cab when he was killed by IPOB members.
The witness said the driver told him that they were heading to the airport from Owerri town, when they saw a check point mounted by men of the Nigerian Air Force who were preventing people from accessing the airport, but decided to take another route where they ran into a check point by IPOB members.
The witness said the driver further said the IPOB members ordered the three of them in the car to disembark, and demanded to know their tribes.
He said the driver told him to introduce himself as an Igbo person and that Gulak also said he was an Igbo man. But that while he (the driver) could speak Igbo language when they were asked to speak in Igbo, Gulak could not, following which they asked him to remove his cap and saw a Muslim prayer mark on his forehead.
The witness said the driver said after seeing the prayer mart, one of the IPOB members said “he is one of them,” and they shot and killed him.
The DSS official said he served In Imo State between 2019 and 2023, and the deceased’s corpse was evacuated from the spot where he was killed in his (the witness’) car
Under cross examination by defence lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), the witness said no record showed that the importation of the transmitter in to the country by Kanu.
He said he doesn’t know when the transmitter was brought into the country, but that he was among those who located where it was kept in Anambra State and brought it to the DSS headquarters in Abuja.
When asked if he was aware that Radio Biafra was registered in London and broadcast from there, the witness said when Kanu was arrested in Lagos in 2016 he was arrested with his broadcast equipment, adding that he was not present when Kanu was nabbed in Lagos and that all he said about his arrest in Lagos was what were relayed to him.
