The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has alleged that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) coerced him into making confessional statements following his arrest in 2015.

Kanu made these claims on Wednesday during his ongoing trial, after the prosecution presented its third witness, identified only as CCC for security reasons. The witness testified that he was part of the DSS team that interviewed Kanu on multiple occasions in October and November 2015.

According to the witness, the interviews were recorded on video, and Kanu provided written statements after each session. The federal government's counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, subsequently tendered two video Compact Discs containing the interviews and three copies of statements allegedly written by Kanu as evidence.

While Kanu's defense team initially did not oppose the admission of these exhibits, senior advocate Paul Erokoro later raised an objection after consulting with his client. Erokoro informed the court that Kanu had just disclosed that the written statements were made under duress.

The defense claimed that DSS operatives denied Kanu access to legal representation, threatened to withhold his bail, and restricted his daily hour of fresh air, which had been recommended due to his health condition.

Trial-Within-A-Trial Ordered

In response to these allegations, Justice James Omotosho ordered a trial-within-a-trial to determine whether Kanu's statements were indeed voluntary. During this proceeding, the DSS witness maintained that Kanu provided his statements willingly without coercion.

When questioned by the defense, the witness acknowledged that he never entered Kanu's cell but claimed to know all gatekeepers who could interact with the defendant. Erokoro challenged this assertion, suggesting that the witness would not know if a DSS officer named Mr. Brown had visited Kanu's cell to threaten him.

In his testimony, Kanu described his treatment following arrest, stating that he was chained, blindfolded, and transported from Lagos to an unknown location in Abuja. He alleged that the DSS kept him in solitary confinement without light, and that an assistant director of investigations, identified as Mr. Brown, threatened him to cooperate during interviews.

"Mr. Brown threatened me that if I don't do what they ask, they will stop giving me that one-hour break," Kanu testified, referring to the daily fresh air period recommended by a facility doctor after he began experiencing nosebleeds due to poor cell conditions.

During cross-examination, Kanu insisted that portions of the video interviews presented in court had been edited, and that DSS operatives had directed him to write the statements in question.

Following the conclusion of the trial-within-a-trial, Justice Omotosho directed both prosecution and defense teams to adopt their written addresses and file them by 9 a.m. on May 29, 2025.

The case continues to draw significant attention as it involves one of Nigeria's most prominent separatist leaders, whose organization advocates for the secession of the southeastern region to form an independent Biafra state.