Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has lodged a criminal complaint against two Department of State Services (DSS) witnesses, ahead of the judgment in his terrorism trial scheduled for Thursday, November 20.
The complaint, filed before a chief magistrate’s court in Abuja by Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, accuses the witnesses, identified as TAA (PW1) and BBB (PW2), of giving “false evidence on oath.” The filings cite Sections 156, 158(1), 159(1), and 160 of the Penal Code, Section 88 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, and Sections 34 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The claimant averred that “on diverse dates between May and July 2025, at the federal high court, Abuja, during the hearing and trial-within-trial in the case of Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Nnamdi Kanu (FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015), Mr. TAA and MR. BBB, being witnesses called by the prosecution in my trial, willfully gave false evidence on oath, knowing same to be false and/or not believing same to be true and material to the admissibility of the 2015 and 2021 statements, thereby committing perjury contrary to sections 156, 158 and 159 of the Penal Code”.
“That MR. TAA, on page 352 of the Certified True Copy of proceedings dated 26th June 2025, under oath, stated as follows: ‘I cannot recall… I didn’t know any other Mr. Brown my lord,’ when asked if he knew Mr. Brown Ekwoaba, the Assistant Director (Investigations) at the DSS National Headquarters, Abuja, who personally supervised the October–November 2015 interviews and detention of the complainant.” The IPOB leader described the denial by TAA as false.
He asserted, “That MR. TAA’s denial is false, as established by: Affidavit of Prince Emmanuel Kanu (Exhibit C), confirming six (6) visits to the complainant in Mr. Brown Ekwoaba’s office at Yellow House, 3rd Floor, between October 2015 and January 2016; affidavit of Benjamin Madubugwu (Exhibit D), confirming interviews with Mr. Brown Ekwoaba and three others in the same office in November 2015; and public records confirming Mr. Brown Ekwoaba as Assistant Director, Directorate (Investigations) (2015–2020), later State Director (Edo & Kwara).
“That MR. BBB, on page 202 of the Certified True Copy of proceedings, under oath, stated as follows: ‘I have not met him before except in this court,’ despite earlier testifying (pages 184–188) that he led the 17th July 2021 video interview of the complainant at DSS Headquarters.
“That both witnesses were shielded behind masks and screens by order of the trial court, yet gave materially false testimony to conceal the true chain of custody of the 2015 and 2021 statements.”
Kanu, in DSS custody since 2012, is standing trial on terrorism-related charges. He has opted to defend himself, disengaging his legal team, and has consistently maintained that the charges against him are baseless and his continued detention unlawful.
The presiding judge, James Omotosho, has scheduled the delivery of judgment for November 20. Kanu has also filed a motion seeking to halt the federal high court’s ruling.
Melissa Enoch
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