Biafra: Amotekun is backed by law, ESN illegal – Prosecution witness 

The second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the paramilitary wing of IPOB, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), is an illegal organisation without the backing of the law.

IPOB, a proscribed pro-Biafra separatist movement, had, early in December 2020, launched the ESN as a reaction to the perception of targeted killings of Igbos by bandits and herdsmen from the northern region.

However, speaking under re-examination by the prosecution counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, the witness, a personnel of the DSS simply identified as BBB, told the court that the ESN is an illegal organisation because it was not established by any existing law.

Asked to differentiate between the ESN and Amotekun in the South-Western region of the country, the witness told the court that while the ESN was formed without any backing of the law, the Amotekun security outfit, on the other hand, has legal backing from the respective Houses of Assembly of the affected states.

He said Amotekun, the South-Western regional security network, was set up in all six states of the South-West to complement the efforts of security agencies in curbing insecurity, especially kidnapping, armed robbery, as well as herdsmen and farmers’ contentions in the region.

“My lord, while the ESN is not a registered organization recognized by law, Amotekun was established following the law passed by the respective Houses of Assembly in the affected States,” the witness clarified.

Meanwhile, during the cross-examination of the witness by the defence counsel, Paul Erokoro SAN, the court admitted in evidence a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the report of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution of Victims of EndSARS and Other Related Abuses and related matters.

The report, which was tendered from the Bar by the defence team, was admitted and marked as Exhibit PWUO.

The defence team then proceeded to tender a flash drive accompanied by a certificate of compliance from the Bar.

Both the flash drive and the certificate of compliance were admitted and marked as Exhibits PWP and PWI respectively.

A video evidence was played in open court by the defence team showing public speeches by the Director General of the DSS, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi; Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State; and former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. T.Y. Danjuma.

In the short video clip, the Director General of the DSS, Ajayi, spoke on the need for communities to cooperate with security agencies in the fight against insecurity, as security agencies cannot fight criminals.

Ajayi, who expressed the need for communities to rise up and defend themselves against miscreants and criminals, said they must do that in collaboration with security agencies.

On his part, the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, exonerated the ESN from the killings of top politicians in Orlu and blamed the same on opposition politicians.

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In his speech, the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, urged citizens to stand up and defend themselves.

While accusing the Armed Forces of aiding and protecting criminals, Gen. Danjuma said, “If you are depending on the Armed Forces to stop the killings, you will die one by one.”

Meanwhile, Justice James Omotosho has warned parties against any form of delay tactics that may be employed during the trial.

The judge said that, having granted an accelerated hearing of the case, it would be against the interest of justice to delay the trial while the defendant languishes in detention. He ordered the prosecution to close its case within six days, subject to any special circumstances, and adjourned the matter till 28 and 29 May, and 6, 16, 18 and 19 June respectively for the prosecution to close its case.

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