The Department of State Services (DSS) has officially denied any involvement in the arrest of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu outside Nigeria, specifically refuting claims that it apprehended him in Kenya. This clarification emerged during the ongoing trial of Kanu, where a DSS operative, identified only as BBB, was cross-examined in court.
BBB, an intelligence officer with the DSS, testified that the agency’s operational jurisdiction is strictly confined within Nigeria’s territorial borders, and it does not possess the legal authority to conduct arrests beyond the country. He emphasized that the DSS was therefore not responsible for Kanu’s 2021 rendition from Kenya to Nigeria, countering allegations that the agency orchestrated his extrajudicial arrest abroad.
The witness further explained that the DSS operates under the Office of the National Security Adviser and maintains independence from political influence, stating that neither politicians nor the Attorney General have control over its covert activities. He detailed that the agency gathers intelligence from a variety of sources, including human informants and social media platforms, to carry out its domestic security functions.
When questioned about Kanu’s own claims that he was “kidnapped” from Kenya, BBB acknowledged the assertion but reiterated that the DSS had no role in any such operation outside Nigeria. This testimony aligns with previous official statements and court records, underscoring the agency’s limited jurisdiction and commitment to lawful procedures within Nigeria’s borders.
The DSS’s denial is a significant development in the high-profile trial of Nnamdi Kanu, who faces charges related to terrorism and treasonable felony. The clarification helps to dispel misinformation regarding the circumstances of his arrest and highlights the legal boundaries within which Nigeria’s security agencies operate.