In a significant development during the trial of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, the Department of State Services (DSS) has declared the Eastern Security Network (ESN)—the group’s paramilitary wing—an illegal organisation operating outside the framework of Nigerian law.
The assertion was made on Wednesday before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, during the re-examination of a key prosecution witness identified only as BBB, a serving operative of the DSS.
The witness stated that ESN, launched by IPOB in December 2020, lacks any statutory or legislative backing, differentiating it sharply from other regional security initiatives like the South-West’s Amotekun, which operates under laws enacted by respective State Houses of Assembly.
“Amotekun was created legally across all six South-Western states to support existing security agencies in combating kidnapping, armed robbery, and farmer-herder conflicts. In contrast, ESN has no legal status or recognition under Nigerian law,” the DSS witness told the court.
The ESN was formed amid growing tensions in the South-East, with IPOB citing alleged targeted killings and attacks on Igbo communities by armed herders and criminal elements. However, Nigerian authorities have repeatedly accused the group of being a security threat, linking it to violent attacks on government infrastructure and security personnel.
During cross-examination, lead defence counsel Paul Erokoro, SAN, introduced critical documents to challenge the prosecution’s narrative. The court admitted into evidence a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Lagos State Judicial Panel Report on #EndSARS and related abuses, marking it as Exhibit PWUO.
Erokoro also tendered a flash drive containing video and digital materials, along with a certificate of compliance—both admitted by the court and marked Exhibits PWP and PWI, respectively.
As the high-profile trial continues, Justice Omotosho adjourned further proceedings to May 28 and 29, and June 6, 16, 18, and 19, during which the prosecution is expected to close its case.
