The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused the Nigerian government of hiring a prosecution witness (PW-BBB) in the ongoing trial of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The group alleged that the witness was not a personnel of Department of State Services (DSS) adding that the said individual is affiliated to a law firm and has no legitimate connection to DSS operations.
IPOB disclosed this in a statement signed by Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful on Friday in Abuja.
The statement noted that the PW-BBB’s name and statement were never disclosed in the original list of prosecution witnesses served to the defense. It stated further that the last-minute substitution amounts to trial by ambush, a prosecutorial misconduct that should be rebuked and sanctioned.
IPOB therefore called on the trial judge Justice James Omotosho to take judicial notice of the development and ensure that such abuse of process is not permitted to taint the sanctity of the courtroom.
The statement read “ IPOB strongly condemns the Nigerian government’s continued abuse of legal process and deployment of deception in the ongoing trial of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The latest disgraceful development is the presentation of an individual referred to as Prosecution Witness BBB (PW-BBB)—a man who does not work for the Department of State Services (DSS) and who has been exposed under cross-examination as a government-planted mercenary.
“ This individual is receiving strategic coaching to impersonate an informed insider when in reality, he has no legitimate connection to DSS operations or the detention regime under which Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been unjustly held. His courtroom performance—peppered with statements like “I don’t know,” “It’s not my job,” “No one informed me”—reveals a witness wholly ignorant of the facts and unqualified to provide any reliable testimony.
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“ It is particularly alarming that PW-BBB’s name and statement were never disclosed in the original list of prosecution witnesses served to the defense. This last-minute substitution amounts to trial by ambush, a prosecutorial misconduct that should be rebuked and sanctioned. IPOB calls on the Honourable Justice James Omotosho to take judicial notice of this underhanded tactic and ensure such abuse of process is not permitted to taint the sanctity of the courtroom.
“ Moreover, the facts surrounding Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s detention are clear and verifiable. Solitary confinement is a standard DSS operational protocol, and numerous independent reports have confirmed that our leader is being subjected to this inhumane condition. UK Consular staff who conduct periodic visits to Mazi Kanu are aware of this, and DSS internal records can corroborate it. No hired actor or government witness can alter these truths.
“ The attempt to lend credibility to the lies of a coached stranger is not only a disservice to justice, but also a profound insult to the Nigerian judiciary. IPOB calls on media houses to resist becoming echo chambers for state propaganda. Upholding truth, objectivity, and constitutional principles is more urgent now than ever.
“ We assure the public and the international community that the identity, role, and deception of PW-BBB will be fully exposed. The Nigerian government must be held accountable for its continued manipulation of the judicial process. Justice must prevail. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu must be released unconditionally.
