DSS Witness Tells Court: No Terrorism Weapon Found On Nnamdi Kanu During Lagos Arrest

A witness for the Federal Government testified in the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, May 2, admitting that no weapons of terrorism or violence were found on Nnamdi Kanu when he was arrested in Lagos on October 15, 2015. The witness, identified as PWAAA and an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS), also confirmed that no arms or items used for public disturbance were recovered from the woman arrested alongside Kanu.

During cross-examination by Kanu’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi SAN, the witness explained that the items seized from Kanu were personal belongings. He acknowledged that while the items might not seem directly offensive, the intent behind possessing them could raise concerns. PWAAA further admitted that he did not analyze the items in question, as his role was limited to enforcing the arrest and obtaining a statement from Kanu. He also revealed that the analysis of Kanu’s cell phone was conducted but that the report was not presented to the court because it was deemed irrelevant to the case.

The DSS operative admitted that, over the 10 years the items were impounded, they might have lost their value and utility. Additionally, he confirmed that he had never confronted Kanu with anyone to discuss terrorism-related matters. The witness also acknowledged that Kanu’s statement was taken without the presence of his legal counsel.

The court was presented with a range of items recovered from Kanu, including several electronic devices such as laptops, iPads, and modems, along with personal items like shoes, wristwatches, perfumes, and documents. Some of the items listed as exhibits included:

• Black laptop, two Multi mix transmitters, two iPads, three MacBooks, a mini drone, and various modems.
• Several phones (Samsung, Motorola, Nokia), a camcorder, flash drives, and audio equipment.
• Personal items like wristwatches, perfumes, a pair of shoes, a belt, and documents related to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), including a Nigerian passport and a British passport bearing the name “Okwu Kanu Nwannekaibeya.”

Despite the extensive list of items, the witness maintained that the recovered items were not linked to terrorism but could potentially have been used in such activities, depending on the defendant’s intent.