#EndSARS: Kanu’s Incitement Led to Death of 233 Security Personnel – FG Tells Court
The Federal Government has alleged that the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, incited violence during the #EndSARS protests, leading to the deaths of 233 security personnel across Nigeria.
A prosecution witness from the Department of State Services (DSS), identified as Mr. EEE for security reasons, made the revelation on Thursday while testifying before Justice James Omotosho at the Federal High Court in Abuja. He was led in evidence by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, counsel to the Federal Government.
The DSS operative told the court that Kanu’s inciting broadcasts led to the killing of 186 police officers, 37 military personnel, and 10 DSS operatives. He also said 164 police stations and nine offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were destroyed during the protests in 2020 and 2021.
According to the witness, he was assigned to lead a team comprising personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, photographers, and investigators to compile records of security casualties and property destruction linked to the #EndSARS protests.
“The assignment included obtaining reports from security agencies across affected states, verifying death certificates of fallen officers, and documenting property damage,” he said.
Awomolo presented the report compiled by the team to the court, along with photographs and certificates of deceased officers. Justice Omotosho admitted the documents as evidence and marked them as Exhibits PWD2, PWD2A, and PWD2B.
While reviewing Exhibit PWD2A, the witness reiterated the casualty figures and provided a state-by-state breakdown. For example, eight policemen were reportedly killed in Abia, 16 in Enugu, and another 16 in Imo. The military suffered 12 deaths in Anambra, seven in Ebonyi, and three in Imo, among others. DSS officers were also confirmed dead in states like Abia and Anambra.
On infrastructure losses, the witness noted that Lagos recorded 38 police stations attacked, while Imo had 20, Ondo 11, Cross River five, Ekiti three, Osun one, and the Federal Capital Territory one. In total, 164 stations were damaged or destroyed.
Regarding INEC facilities, Cross River accounted for four attacks, Anambra one, and Akwa Ibom two, among others.
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Under cross-examination by Kanu’s lawyer, Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, the witness admitted he did not directly investigate the allegations against Kanu. His role, he said, was limited to compiling records of violence and damage allegedly influenced by Kanu’s statements.
“I did not investigate the charges; my task was to document outcomes related to the #EndSARS protests that followed inciting remarks by the defendant,” he stated.
The witness also claimed that Kanu encouraged protesters to attack security agents and provided guidance on manufacturing weapons used during the unrest. When asked whether Kanu specifically incited the protests in Osun or the vandalism of a court in Lagos, he replied, “I do not know that, but I was instructed to obtain the records.”
Ikpeazu further pressed the witness on whether the protests were a “Biafran issue,” to which the witness replied: “The facts speak for themselves. Before, during, and after the #EndSARS protests, the defendant made statements encouraging insurrection against the Nigerian state.”
The DSS operative also clarified that his assignment did not involve investigating IPOB or Biafran agitation, but focused solely on the aftermath of #EndSARS.
When asked whether activist Aisha Yesufu was part of IPOB, the witness said he was aware of her but had not investigated her affiliations. He also said he did not believe she was of Igbo descent or from Abia State.
On the root causes of the protests, the witness acknowledged that there were “organic issues” such as police brutality, but maintained that “subversive elements” exploited those issues to provoke unrest. He admitted being aware of extrajudicial killings by the now-defunct SARS unit in Lagos, Ibadan, and Oyo State but said he did not have specific details.
“The allegations of police brutality were used as a smokescreen by subversive elements,” he claimed.
Following the cross-examination, Chief Awomolo announced the close of the prosecution’s case. “In view of the overwhelming evidence presented, including the broadcasts attributed to the defendant, we are satisfied that the prosecution has made its case,” he said.
In response, lead defence counsel Chief Kanu Agabi informed the court of plans to file a no-case submission. Justice Omotosho granted the defence 14 days to file the application and gave the prosecution 14 days to respond, with an additional two days for the defence to reply on points of law.
The case was adjourned until July 18, 2025.
By PRNigeria
