According to an exclusive report by SaharaReporters, Nigeria’s notorious secret police, the Department of State Services, have arrested 12 South-Easterners from Ebonyi State who were travelling to the Federal Capital Territory to attend the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

SaharaReporters learnt that the DSS arrested the 12 persons including two drivers and had detained them in Lokoja, Kogi State, since Monday, the day of the trial.

“The victims are; Wisdom Ezike, Kenneth Ojima, Chinedu Nwoba, Igwe Sampson, David Ogbonnaya, Aja Joseph, Barrister Awoke, Chinoso Oyibe, Eze Joseph, Okezie Fortune and two drivers. They committed no offence. They were heading to Abuja to attend Nnamdi Kanu’s trial. They have been arrested and illegally detained in Lokoja,” a source stated.

SaharaReporters had on Monday reported that the DSS hooded operatives also violently dispersed people who had come to show solidarity to Kanu during the trial at the Federal High Court.

This was after the DSS accredited only 10 media houses to cover the proceedings.

The secret police also arrested and later released human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, among other Nigerians at the venue.

Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja had adjourned the trial of Kanu to October 21, due to failure of Nigerian Government to produce him in court.

When the matter was called up, the prosecution counsel, M. B. Abubakar, had informed the court that the matter was slated for hearing and that they were ready to continue.

But Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, had informed the court that there was a pending application before the court to transfer Kanu from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to a correctional centre.

Justice Nyako had stated that the trial could not continue in the absence of the IPOB leader since he was not available to stand his trial.

The court adjourned to October 21, 2021, for continuation of hearing.