On Tuesday, the Nigerian government began its case against Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), by sharing how he was first arrested in 2015.

A witness from the Department of State Services (DSS), known only as AAA, told the Federal High Court in Abuja how Kanu was caught at a hotel near Lagos International Airport. The witness, who has worked with DSS for 18 years, said the arrest happened on October 14, 2015, at the Golden Tulip Hotel.

Kanu was found in Room 303 with a woman named Maria Ibezimakor. The DSS had to search each room because they couldn’t find his name on the hotel’s guest list. The witness said Kanu fought back during the arrest and even headbutted one of the agents.

Inside the room, officers found advanced radio equipment believed to be used for running Radio Biafra. The devices were taken to the DSS office in Lagos, where Kanu reportedly admitted they belonged to him and signed a document.

The next day, he was questioned, and the video of that session was shown in court. In it, Kanu said he started Radio Biafra and ran it without a license. He admitted he knew it was illegal but believed the Nigerian government wouldn’t have approved a license even if he applied.

Kanu described himself as a freedom fighter, not a violent person. He said he was standing up for the rights of people from the South-East, South-South, and Middle Belt regions of Nigeria. He also said Radio Biafra had workers in the US, Russia, Italy, and Sweden—but not in Nigeria. He claimed Nigerian supporters shared the station’s message on their own.

During the court session, the judge also rejected a request from Kanu’s legal team to allow 22 lawyers in court, agreeing instead to keep it at 13, as previously approved.

The legal team is led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Kanu Agabi, with other members including Audu Nunghe, Joseph Akubo, Emeka Etiaba, and Onyechi Ikpeazu.