The Department of State Services (DSS) has denied claims that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is being kept in solitary confinement.
This came up on Wednesday during a hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the DSS continued its presentation in the ongoing terrorism case against Kanu.
Kanu has been in DSS custody since June 2021, following his re-arrest and return to Nigeria from Kenya.
He is facing a seven-count charge involving terrorism and treason. During the court session, a DSS officer, who testified anonymously for security reasons, told the court that keeping suspects in isolation is not part of their system.
He explained that although he participated in the investigation, he does not handle Kanu directly and could not speak about his condition in detail.
The court also received documents from the prosecution, including a medical report and a death certificate belonging to Ahmed Gulak, a former presidential aide allegedly killed by gunmen in Imo State in 2021.
The Federal Government had earlier claimed that Kanu’s broadcast led to Gulak’s death, linking it to IPOB activities. Kanu’s lawyers did not object to the submission of these documents.
However, the defence raised concerns over a video presented by the DSS showing Kanu’s interrogation.
They argued that the footage was incomplete and that no DSS official appeared in the video.
The DSS witness replied that the video was complete and followed their standard procedure, but could not confirm whether he was masked during the session.
The hearing was briefly stopped when Kanu’s lawyer informed the court that he had not received certain documents from the police that he had earlier requested.
He said these materials were important for building the defence. The prosecution disagreed with this request, saying it was a tactic to delay the case, which has dragged on for years.
Despite the arguments, the judge agreed to postpone the hearing, saying the delay was in the interest of justice.
The court also addressed a recent social media post from one of Kanu’s lawyers, who had accused the DSS of blocking access to the defendant.
Kanu’s lead counsel clarified that he had arrived at the DSS earlier than scheduled, and there was no obstruction.
The judge criticised the public comment made on social media and warned all lawyers involved in the case to verify their claims before going public.
The case was adjourned to May 21 for further hearing.
Kanu was first arrested in 2015 and released on bail in 2017 but fled the country after an attack on his home. He was captured again in 2021 and has been in DSS custody since then.
Although an appeal court once ordered his release and dismissed the charges, the Supreme Court later ruled that the Federal Government could continue with the trial based on the remaining charges.
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