Metro

Kanu’s Radio Transmitter Import Was Unauthorised, DSS Tells Court

Published

3 months ago

June 18, 2025

The Department of State Services informed the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday that the National Broadcasting Commission did not licence the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to import the radio transmitter allegedly smuggled into Nigeria to operate Radio Biafra.

The fourth prosecution witness, a DSS official identified as Mr DDD, stated this during his testimony in the ongoing terrorism trial of Kanu, instituted by the Federal Government.

Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), the witness testified that after he and his team recovered the transmitter from a premises in Ubuluisiuzor, Anambra State, they transported it to Abuja. Subsequently, the DSS contacted the NBC to inspect the device.

The witness said that on November 9, 2015, NBC sent an engineer to inspect the transmitter, who subsequently issued a report. Awomolo tendered a certified true copy of the provisional assessment report on the transmitter as evidence.

Reading from the report, the witness stated that the transmitter was German-made and designed for FM frequency broadcasting. The report further indicated that such equipment could only be legally procured and installed with a valid licence, which Radio Biafra did not have.

The DSS investigation revealed that to operate a radio station in Nigeria, an applicant must obtain a licence from the NBC after receiving clearance from relevant security agencies. “In this case, the defendant [Kanu] neither applied for nor received any approval. He illegally imported the transmitter,” the witness asserted.

The witness added that the investigation confirmed Kanu owned the transmitter, which he stored at the residence of one Benjamin Madubugu. Kanu later inspected the transmitter and recorded a video to assure IPOB members who had contributed funds for its purchase.

In further testimony, Mr DDD claimed IPOB’s armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, was responsible for between 170 and 200 deaths of security personnel in the South-East.

He recounted a statement from an ESN member, Uzuoma Benjamin, alias Onye Army, who allegedly described directives from Kanu to attack and kill security agents and bury a deceased IPOB commander, Ikonso, with 2,000 human heads.

The witness said IPOB’s activities included the 2021 Owerri prison attack, allegedly orchestrated by Kanu, and provided accounts of ESN members engaging in human sacrifices for “spiritual fortification.”

The witness read that Onye Army claimed that he and other members of his group used the heads of 10 girls to prepare charms for their protection.

He said that when the DSS requested from the police to access Onye Army, the police claimed he had escaped from custody.

He added that during one of DSS agents’ raids on ESN members’ hideouts, “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,” the witness told the court.

On how the ESN members operate, the witness said they are combatants who carry arms and attack homes of prominent individuals and traditional rulers in the region.

He said that because they lacked sufficient operational tools, they sometimes set up roadblocks during which they hijacked vehicles for their operations.

Regarding the May 30, 2021 killing of Ahmed Gulak, a former presidential aide, the witness recounted being among the first responders. He claimed Gulak was killed at an IPOB checkpoint after he failed to speak the Igbo language convincingly.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), the witness admitted there was no record of the transmitter’s importation and that he could not confirm when it was brought into the country. He revealed the transmitter was located using video analysis tools and was later recovered from Anambra State.

He also denied knowledge of certain individuals and companies allegedly involved in clearing the transmitter. The court was further informed that the transmitter was allegedly imported by one Igwe Anyiba, who resides abroad.

The witness added that two firearms were recovered from beneath a mattress on Madubugu’s property, and the latter was charged with unlawful possession of firearms.

Following the conclusion of the cross-examination, the court discharged the witness. Justice James Omotosho adjourned the case until June 20, for the prosecution to call its fifth witness.
(PUNCH)

Metro

Lifeless Body Found Inside Car at N’Assembly Complex

Published

11 hours ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command said it has begun investigations, following the discovery of a lifeless body inside a vehicle at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

Some reports had stated that the body was that of a 55-year-old man, identified as Gaddafi Iwar, who was a construction worker, working on one of the sites within the complex. According to the reports, the vehicle had been parked in the same spot for days before the discovery of the decomposed body.

Only recently, the Police said it had launched an investigation into the suspected suicide of a 30-year-old man identified as Ik Ojo, in the Kagini–Dei-Dei area of Abuja.

The probe follows the discovery of Ojo’s today, as seen in a viral video on Saturday, with friends and neighbors stating suspicions of foul play in the situation.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Josephine Adeh, on Monday, the security agency said the corpse was believed to be that of a labourer found around 9 am on Sunday, September 7th, inside a red Peugeot 406, parked at a construction site within the complex.

Adeh said Officers from the National Assembly Division responded to the distress call and evacuated the body to Asokoro General Hospital, where medical staff confirmed the body was already in advanced state of decomposition.

“On September 7, 2025, at about 09:00 hours, the FCT Police Command received a distress call reporting the discovery of an unidentified male, suspected to be a labourer, found lifeless at a construction site within the National Assembly Complex.

“The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), National Assembly Division, immediately responded to the call and, upon arrival, discovered the deceased inside a red Peugeot 406 motor vehicle with registration number BWR-577 BF. The body was promptly evacuated to Asokoro General Hospital, where medical personnel confirmed that it was already in an advanced state of decomposition,” the statement partly read.

The Police Spokesperson stated that the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Adewale, had ordered a discreet probe to determine the circumstances of the incident, and that efforts be intensified to establish the identity of the deceased.

“The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, has ordered a discreet investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, and directed that efforts be intensified to establish the identity of the deceased. Further updates will be communicated as the investigation progresses,” she s

Metro

JUST IN: Bandits Abduct Kwara APC Chairman’s Wife, Daughter

Published

18 hours ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

Armed bandits have kidnapped the wife and daughter of the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Patigi Local Government, Kwara State.

Alhaji Muhammad Swasun’s family were abducted late Sunday night in Sakpefu community.

According to eyewitnesses, the attackers stormed the area around 11 p.m., with sporadic shootings apparently to scare off “uninvited” guests, before heading to the chairman’s residence.

The assailants reportedly forced their way inside and whisked away his wife, Hajia Fatima, and daughter, Amina.

Local vigilantes, who arrived late, were said to have mobilised in search of the victims, but no report of any rescue as at when filing this report.

Metro

Ex-general Tackles EFCC Over Forfeited N5bn Shares

Published

20 hours ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

A former Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Maj. Gen. U.M. Mohammed (retd) has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to set aside the order of final forfeiture granted in favour of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, insisting that the 246,305,544 shares in dispute were legitimately acquired.

The EFCC had secured the order on August 26, 2025, claiming the shares, valued at about N5bn, were purchased with funds diverted from fraudulent sales of NAPL properties during Mohammed’s tenure.

The anti-graft agency listed the investments as including substantial holdings in Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Conoil Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Eterna Plc, Flour Mills Plc, Japaul Gold & Ventures Plc, NASCON Allied Industries Plc, Oando Plc, University Press Plc and Vitafoam Nigeria Plc.

The EFCC had argued that the forfeiture was made under Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

But in a motion on notice obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, Mohammed contended that the shares did not originate from unlawful activities.

Instead, he maintained that they were purchased years before his appointment as head of NAPL in October 2015.

In an affidavit filed in support of his application, deponent Joseph Effiong said the shares were bought between September 3, 2007, and September 1, 2015.

“He was posted to Nigerian Army Properties Limited as the Managing Director on October 15, 2015, which was shown to me and marked as Exhibit UM2 is the posting history of ex-Maj Gen UM Mohammed.

“The shares listed in schedules A, B and C to the motion ex parte filed on April 29, 2025, do not represent proceeds of any crime or unlawful activities.

“Shares in Schedules A, B and C were purchased between September 3, 2007, and September 1, 2015, long before ex-major general UM Mohammed was posted to NAPL as the managing director,” Effiong said.

The ex-general is also challenging the forfeiture on procedural grounds, alleging that his affidavit to show cause filed on July 29 was ignored and that he was denied a fair hearing when the case, initially fixed for October 8, was brought before a vacation judge without notice to him or his counsel.

“That the final forfeiture order, having been granted in favour of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, is not in compliance with the provisions of Section 17 (1) Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Fraud Offences Act, 2006. The matter was initially adjourned to the 8th October 2025 for the hearing of the application for final forfeiture by Justice C.J. Aneke.

“That there was no urgency for the case to be transferred to any vacation judge. That no notice or communication whatsoever was given to the applicant or his counsel.

“Non-service of hearing notice is a denial of the constitutional right of the party interested to a fair hearing/fair trial. The final forfeiture order was made in ignorance of the affidavit to show cause date and file on July 29. The affidavit to show cause was not considered, “ he said.

He also alleged that the EFCC in the substantive suit failed or neglected to file an application for a final forfeiture order more day 60 days after the interim order was made by the court on May 7, 2025, in the Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022.

“The mandatory procedure for final forfeiture order under Section 17(1) requires any party interested in the property to show cause within 14 days of non-compliance, “ he alleged.

Mohammed is seeking an order setting aside the entire proceedings in Suit No: FHC/L/MISC/404/ and the final forfeiture of the shares.

The court has yet to fix a date for hearing Mohammed’s application.