Simon Ekpa Will Be Extradited To Nigeria For Trial – DSS
On Friday, May 2, a Federal High Court in Abuja was informed that Simon Ekpa, an ally of the detained leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, will soon be extradited to Nigeria to face prosecution.
This disclosure was made by a Department of State Services (DSS) official, referred to as PWAAA, who gave testimony during the ongoing trial of Kanu. The witness stated that Ekpa would be returned to Nigeria to be tried for allegedly aiding Kanu in his pro-Biafra activities.
During cross-examination by Kanu’s legal counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), the DSS operative conceded that he only learned of other individuals supporting Kanu through media coverage and social media platforms. He noted that he was unaware of anyone else, aside from Kanu, currently facing prosecution in relation to the agitation.
The witness stated that he could not recall Kanu ever speaking out against corruption, youth unemployment, or issuing apologies to the President or Igbo leaders. He also claimed he did not remember Kanu describing IPOB as a voluntary and non-violent organization. While recognizing the occurrence of killings in the North and other regions of the country, he said he could not connect such violence to self-determination movements and confirmed the government’s efforts to address the violence.
Recounting Kanu’s 2015 arrest in Lagos, the DSS witness explained that the defendant was detained in a hotel and that all items recovered were Kanu’s property. No weapons or evidence of public disturbance were reportedly found on the woman arrested alongside him. Although the items themselves may not have been inherently harmful, the witness suggested that their intended purpose could indicate otherwise. He clarified that his role did not involve analyzing the items or arranging confrontations with others, and he confirmed that Kanu’s statement was recorded without his lawyer present.
The court accepted an extensive list of items recovered from Kanu’s hotel room as evidence. These included electronic devices such as laptops, modems, mobile phones, microphones, and audio recorders, as well as personal belongings like shoes, perfumes, wristwatches, and bank cards. Also admitted as exhibits were documents labeled IPOB, passports—one Nigerian and one British—bearing Kanu’s full name, and various accessories.
Justice James Omotosho postponed the case to May 6, 7, and 8 for the continuation of the hearing.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli
