The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has launched strong accusations against the Nigerian Federal Government, alleging that it is manipulating judicial proceedings by presenting a “planted mercenary” as a prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, the group condemned what it described as a serious breach of legal procedure and an act of deception by the government. IPOB claimed that the individual presented in court as Prosecution Witness BBB (PW-BBB) is not affiliated with the Department of State Services (DSS) and was strategically planted and coached to impersonate a credible insider with knowledge of Kanu’s detention conditions.
According to the statement, PW-BBB’s name was not included in the original list of prosecution witnesses that was served to Kanu’s legal defense team. IPOB labeled the sudden appearance of the witness as a form of “trial by ambush” and a clear case of prosecutorial misconduct intended to mislead the court.
“IPOB strongly condemns the Nigerian government’s continued abuse of legal processes and its use of deceptive tactics in the trial of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement read. “The latest shameful episode involves an individual presented as PW-BBB, who has no ties to the DSS and who, under cross-examination, has been exposed as a government-imposed impostor.”
The group appealed to the presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, urging him to take judicial notice of what it described as an abuse of the legal process and to protect the integrity of the court.
IPOB further asserted that the Nigerian government is manipulating the justice system to prolong what it views as the unlawful detention of Kanu. It noted that multiple independent reports, including visits by UK Consular staff, have confirmed that Kanu is being held in solitary confinement — a condition which IPOB described as an oppressive DSS operational protocol.
The statement criticized PW-BBB’s courtroom testimony, citing his repeated use of vague and evasive responses such as “I don’t know,” “It’s not my job,” and “No one informed me,” as evidence of his lack of knowledge and credibility.
“This individual has been strategically coached to impersonate an informed DSS insider, but his ignorance and lack of firsthand knowledge make his testimony unreliable and misleading,” IPOB stated. “No hired actor can distort the facts of Kanu’s detention, which are well-documented and known to international observers.”
IPOB vowed to expose the true identity and role of PW-BBB, and called on the international community to hold the Nigerian government accountable for allegedly undermining the rule of law.
The group also called on media outlets to uphold journalistic integrity by resisting efforts to spread government-sponsored propaganda. “Media organizations must not serve as echo chambers for state narratives,” the statement concluded. “The pursuit of truth, fairness, and constitutional justice is more crucial now than ever.”
IPOB reiterated its longstanding demand for the immediate and unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, asserting that the credibility of Nigeria’s judiciary is at stake.
