A prosecution witness on Wednesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), made several incendiary broadcasts in which he incited violence against prominent Nigerian leaders, including President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Led in evidence by the lead prosecuting counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), the second prosecution witness testified that during the recording of Kanu’s statement on July 17, 2021, the IPOB leader admitted making broadcasts that called for targeted attacks.
The witness specifically referenced a broadcast in which Kanu allegedly announced a N100 million bounty on Wike’s head and urged his followers to burn down Tinubu’s properties. “Kanu said Wike does not deserve to live and must be eliminated,” the witness told the court, adding that any governor involved in the alleged killing of IPOB members would suffer similar consequences.
The court admitted seven recorded broadcasts as evidence after they were identified by the witness and saved on a flash drive. These recordings were subsequently played in open court.
One of the broadcasts, dated December 12, 2020, had Kanu comparing IPOB’s Eastern Security Network (ESN) to Amotekun and Miyetti Allah, stating that it was created to defend the South East. However, the broadcast later took a dark turn as Kanu allegedly called on his followers to hunt down Wike for placing a N50 million bounty on a Biafran’s head.
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Another broadcast, made on October 20, 2020, during the EndSARS protests, featured Kanu allegedly urging his supporters to unleash chaos in Lagos and assassinate Tinubu, whom he described as a “traitor.” In the same audio, he allegedly directed his followers to kill police officers and burn down Tinubu’s properties.
In the third recording, Kanu is heard repeating his call for Wike’s assassination, promising N100 million in cash to anyone who would “take Wike down,” dead or alive.
The prosecution insisted that these broadcasts incited violence and constituted criminal conduct against the state and its officials.
The trial continues, with heightened public and legal interest in the charges against the IPOB leader, who has been in detention since his re-arrest and extradition in 2021.