Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra has on Saturday sworn in the 20 newly appointed commissioners in the state.
Swearing in the commissioners at the state Executive Council Chamber, Government House Awka, Soludo charged them to deliver optimal stressing that their appointments is a call to serve and not one to celebrate.
“This is a call to work and not a call to celebrate. When I say congratulations to you, I also say commiserations. You have offered to serve Anambra, and you must provide service.
“The challenges are enormous, and that is why you have also offered to serve. During my campaign, I told everyone that the work put in to get office is just five percent, 95 percent of the work comes after swearing in, and you must bear that in mind.
“I charge you to read the oath of office and oath of allegiance very carefully and follow them. Where people see it as celebration, you see it as work. Your eyes must be on the ball always. Always think of how will your ministry, how will Anambra be better. If I were you, I will like to write down how will I like to be remembered after serving as commissioner.
“As your chief servant, I have to tell you that I will be very demanding. I have to apologise ahead of time because I will be very demanding and once we fix a meeting for nine, you must all be seated before nine, and that is the culture we want to maintain.
“The Soludo solution which was our slogan during campaign is not just a promise, but you must all work to make it a reality, to create and build that livable Anambra State which we promised.
“I’m happy that you went to your screening knowing fully which ministry you are going to head.
“In the past, you go for screening without knowing which ministry you will lead, and later, they start thinking of which ministry to send you to, whether to send you to lucrative ministry or to send you to another. But here, all of you were selected fit for your office. You were selected, knowing your competence in a particular field, and you must deliver,” Soludo said.
The aspirants agreed to work together to ensure a south east presidential candidate emerges.
In significant show of solidarity and unity of purpose, presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the South East have demanded that the Party’s presidential ticket for 2023 should be zoned to their area.
This was part of their resolution at their meeting in Abuja on Saturday, February 9, 2022. The aspirants at the meeting were: Anyim Pius Anyim, former Senate President, Peter Obi, erstwhile Anambra State governor, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, renowned industrialist and Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze.
In a communique by the four, read by Anyim they maintained: “we have agreed to work together as a team and that “we will work together to ensure that a South Easterner emerges as PDP flag bearer.”
Other decisions by the presidential aspirants included: “we intend to consult with other zones on this issue and it is based on fairness and equity.
“In doing so, it is important to note that we have always supported other zones and we now expect them to reciprocate”.
They added, “it is to our knowledge that more aspirants may have obtained forms under PDP and we hope they will join us later.”
Responding to questions from reporters on whether they were working towards presenting a consensus candidate from among them, Anyim said, “When we get to the bridge, we will cross it. We will work together in the interest of the Party, in the interest of the nation and in the interest of the South East.”
Asked if the South east PDP governors are in support of the meeting, the former President of the Senate said the aspirants were not in the position to speak for the governors.
There have been voices of disagreement in the PDP since the 37-member Zoning Committee appointed by the party to thrash out the knotty issue of zoning in the party, reportedly threw the contest for the presidential ticket open to all regions.
While reaffirming that Zoning remains sacrosanct as enshrined in the party’s constitution, the Committee chaired by Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, however, said that due to the exigency of time, it will throw open the presidential ticket to all aspirants. The statement attributed to Ortom, which he has however denied, has raised controversy within the ranks of PDP membership.
The South east members of the party have insisted that for purposes of fairness, justice and equity, the ticket should be zoned to the region, having produced neither a president nor vice president since 1999.
The Int’l Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law has identified unguarded utterances, generalizations and lack of credible intelligence as fundamental threats capable of undermining the formative stability of the Government of Prof Charles Soludo in Anambra State. The person of Prof Charles Soludo may also need to work hard to wriggle himself out of ‘over knowledge mastership syndrome’. This, if not corrected or tamed now, may lead to the new Gov being left or isolated by people of good conscience especially the ‘homeland’ democratic forces in the State. The ‘homeland’ democratic forces in the State have since resolved to join hands with the new Gov to turn Anambra State positively around on condition that their constructive voices must be heard and acted upon when freely given.
It is therefore a global elementary knowledge that sensitive security issues are not handled through unguarded public utterances and ‘generalizations. It is also instructive to point out that the backbone of security and intelligence in the world lies on detection, thorough verification of the detected and their handling styles anchored on pre action muting on what has been detected and un-muting of same after what has been detected has been operated upon through intelligence and ICT powered operations. In Criminology, generalization, false labeling, criminalization and stigmatization of members of a general population or a particular group or associating them with acidic social deviances and violent crimes are the most undoing of any governing authority or policing organization. These are also totally forbidden in modern world of detective and investigative security and intelligence.
In the Igbo System of ancient and oracular periods, “no matter how wise or knowledgeable an elder is, he must not be invited to preside over a sensitive matter he knows nothing about” and it is tantamount to “killing him” if he ventures into same. That is to say that he must seek to be fully briefed if he is to preside over it well and wisely. In the case of the ongoing formative stage of the Government of Charles Soludo, it is our finding that the Gov meant to govern the State well, but appeared to have chosen to start on riotous and loquacious path. In other words, Intersociety is not certainly sure that the new Gov was well briefed and armed with credible state actor intelligence. Intersociety has severally investigated and found that between 80% and 90% of the state actor security intelligence and investigative information on the state of insecurity in the Southeast are highly disputable and questionable and these have led to wanton waste of innocent lives and destruction of nonviolent properties by deployed armed state actors.
For instance, in the Southeast, a predominant ‘blue-collar’ or ‘street crime friendly social setting’, it is now the security and intelligence position of the state actors that “the armed robberies and armed robbers, kidnappings and kidnappers, cultism and cultists, rituals and ritualists, murders and murderers, rapes and rapists, vandalisms and vandals, car-snatchings and car-snatchers as well as white-collar or cyber crimes and their criminals have all disappeared from the streets of the Southeast and replaced by “ESN/IPOB terrorism and terrorists”. This is to the extent that out of tribal hatred or ethnic profiling, every act of street criminality is blamed on “ESN/IPOB”. This is even when it is the informed position of the Lombroso and Sutherland or Chicago Schools of Criminology that “the forefathers of Governments and other control systems including soldiering and policing organizations are social deviances and crimes or their deviants and criminals”. In other words, without social deviances and crimes, there could not have been Governments and other control systems. In every ‘blue-collar’ society, ‘blue-collar’ or street crimes and criminals abound and in every ‘white-collar’ or bureaucratic society, white-collar or pen and computer criminals abound.
In the case of Anambra State, therefore, there is clear lack of credible state actor intelligence regarding the individual and group identities of “citizens in crime” in the State. In other words, in as much as some bush or forest hideouts are held by the armed wing of the mainstream Biafra agitators, motley of violent criminal persons and entities, who patronize street criminalities, also abound in an ‘industrial scale”. The State is also under invasion by several armed splinter groups claiming to be “fighting for Biafra”. Just last week, a solid and credible contact close to Intersociety spotted a brown new Coaster bus marked “Izzi Youth Movement” possibly from Ebonyi State. The Coaster Bus was spotted along Obeledu-Oraeri-Igboukwu Road at about 7.30pm, fully loaded with young men and most likely armed with assault rifles, and on further independent trail and contacts, it was discovered that “they are heading to a camp within the State”. Survivors have also attested to the fact that “they recently encountered some forest camped violent entities/persons In Nnewi South axis (i.e. Ukpor area) speaking Ebonyi dialects and got nearly killed when greeted them with “All Hail Biafra/Nwachineke”.
There is also the likelihood of the presence of ‘copycat and fifth columnists’ armed squads possibly oiled by clandestinely destructive state agents to engage in sundry violent crimes with intent to blame same on the mainstream Biafra agitators. We are also intelligently and independently not unaware of the fact that there are several urban based violent criminals that specialize in snatching exotic or flashy cars and smart phones and forced or criminal electronic transfer at gun points of several millions of naira. In Idemmili North axis, for instance, an independent detective recently told Intersociety “that the boys go out in the morning with five cars and come back in the evening with fifteen flashy others”. There is also legal difference between “IPOB and ESN members”. In the eyes of UN System, “civilian person ancestrally found within the location of the Bight of Biafra in Nigeria including Gov Charles Soludo of Anambra State is a Biafran” while anybody that is a member of the armed Eastern Security Network engaging in universally outlawed violent activities is deemed to be in conflict with int’l and local criminal laws.
However, the above is not to say that the armed members of the mainstream Biafra agitators are saint or free from all blames or insecurity and other unsafe conditions in Anambra State. They have also not been responsible for the violent criminal activities in the State. This is more so when patterns and trends of their violent self defense activities are trade-marked, such as “the armed protest” of 7th April 2022 at Nnewi North and Aguata Local Government Area. From our collected intelligence, the attacks had their trademarks and were said to be “a protest through a barrel of gun against Soludo”.
The beloved new Gov Charles Soludo is hereby expertly advised not to rush IPOB matters to avoid plunging the State into “another Imo State”. Solution to IPOB matters is not short term soluble but likely going to require medium or long term solutions. From our findings, a litany of goodwill still abounds for the Gov to move the State forward developmentally and securely. The primary task before Gov Soludo is: clean the State especially Onitsha, Ogbaru, Idemmili North, Oyi, Awka, Ekwulobia, Ihiala and Nnewi; open up drainages and waterways ahead of this coming rainy season, stop open defecation at Onitsha Upper-Iweka to Niger Bridge axis, identify and rout out touts and criminal revenue agents wrecking havoc in Onitsha and environs, clear blocked drainages across the State of illegal structures, rehabilitate failed State roads and monitor the conducts, activities and movements of his newly confirmed Commissioners especially those in charge of “Homeland (Security) Matters/Affairs” and Finance; the reappointed “mistakes of the Obiano Administration”.
Additionally and finally, the new Government of Soludo must go for fresh and sound intelligence so as to credibly ascertain the following:
· The number of violent crime armed groups and armed territorial self defense groups in the State and patterns and trends of their activities
· The groups among them that belong to street criminal entities and those that belong to violent self determination or self defense struggle
· Those among them that are deviants and constitute threat to street or urban persons and their properties
· The mission of the Ebonyi variant of the violently armed persons that are camping in several bushes and forests in the State
· Whether there are copycat or fifth columnists’ armed entities oiled by clandestinely destructive State or Jihadist agents
· The possible camping of private militias among the motley of armed persons in the State
· Those among the motley of violently armed persons responsible for incessancy of car snatching including the snatching of exotic/flashy cars from at least seven Catholic Reverend Fathers between Feb 15 and middle of Match 2022 around Ichida, Nnobi, Awka-Etiti, Igboukwu and Obeledu axis
· The Gov should also inform the citizens of the State the real target groups of the State Government’s “Amnesty” and whether the “Amnesty” is meant for armed robbers, car snatchers, phone snatchers and criminal electronic money thieves, house breakers, arsonists, burglary offenders, kidnappers, cultists, rapists, ritualists, hired killers; or whether the “Amnesty” is meant for armed agitators alone
Signed
For: Int’l Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law
· Emeka Umeagbalasi (Criminologist & Graduate of Security Studies)
Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, on Saturday, sworn-in 20 commissioners cleared by the State House of Assembly.
The commissioners are; Mr Ifeatu Chinedu (Finance), Prof. Ofonze Amucheazi (Lands) Mr Ifeanyi Okoma (Works and Infrastructure ), Ms Chiamaka Nnake (Budget and Economy Planing) Dr Afam Obidike (Health), Mr Patrick Agha-mba (Youth Development), Mrs Ifeyinwa Obinabo (Women/Children Afairs), Dr Obinna Ugonnadi (Commerce and Industry), Mr Julius Chukwuemeka (Power and Water Resources), and Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh (Education).
Others are Mr Paul Nwosu (Information), Dr Foster Ihejiofor (Agriculture), Mrs Patricia Igwebuike (Transport), Mr Felix Odimegwu (Environment), Mr. Chikodi Anara (Home Land Afairs), Prof. Chika Ifemeje (Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice), Mr Collins Nwabunwanne (Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs), Mr Donatus Onyeji (Culture/Entertainment), Mr. Anthony Ifeanya (Petroleum) and Mr Paulinus Onyeaka (Housing).
Rtd Air-Vice Marshal Ben Chiobi, was also swears-in as special advisers on Security matters.
The governor urged the Commissioners to abide by their oath of office and discharge what they have appointed to do.
Speaking to Journalists shortly after the event that took place at Government House Awka, the Commissioner for Information, Chief Paul Nwosu, promised to partner with all the national dailies to project the agenda of the Soludo-led administration.
In their brief reactions, Senator Victor Umeh and the Vice National President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Demian Ogene-Okeke, charged the the Commissioners to work in line with the governor’s Manifesto to developed Anambra state.
Let’s face it, MOST (not all) of the people picking hole in Soludo’s rightous war against those homegrown terrorists ravaging Ala-Igbo are closet enablers of terror. Don’t let them fool you with their twisted logic. And most importantly, don’t let them gaslight you.
In Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia, people are still being killed and maimed every Monday in the name of a sit-at-home repeatedly cancelled by IPOB. Those criminals destroying Ala-Igbo have camps in all those states. Why should someone from Enugu for instance – a state where even the governor himself hardly step out of his govt house on Mondays – be more interested in criticising an Anambra Soludo who is taking action instead of asking why his own Enugwu governor is not taking the same drastic action to root out those merchants of terror from their different camps in his own state?
Why is someone from Ebonyi criticising Soludo instead of asking why Ebonyi state Governor who doubles as the chairman of the very useless Southeast Governors Forum, not taking similar action to clear those criminals from Ebonyi state bushes?
Why are we not even asking why the entire Southeast Governors are not carrying out simultaneous and coordinated action to destroy all the camps being used by these enemies of Ala-Igbo?
Are we waiting until Ala-Igbo become like the North, if we are not already there???????
You sef check am nah! Does it make sense to be attacking the only Governor taking real action while ignoring the rest of them clowns sitting comfortably in their respective govt houses and even joining us all to sit at home every Monday?? Do not let any enabler of terror to gaslight you with some dumb argument, please.
By saying that FROM THE STATISTICS OF THOSE ARRESTED SO FAR, these criminals are from other Southeast states, Soludo has successfully incited the people of Anambra state against these hoodlums destroying their state and by so doing, he has made the people see this as not just Soludo’s fight but their fight to rescue their state. A very smart move, if you ask me. I mean, it’s common knowledge that there is no way these agents of anarchy could have successfully operated in any area without people from that particular area working with them. Soludo’s statement was not to create any disunity.
I have had the privilege of being invited to the Southeast Governors Forum Security Meeting with all the governors and their security Chiefs in attendance and I can authoritatively tell you, every governor knows almost everything there is to know about security issues in his state. Most times, the WILL to act is the problem. Let us all pressure them to act even if it means claiming that the criminals in their own state are from another state. As long as we successfully take back Ala-Igbo from these beasts, I wouldn’t mind. Currently, Ala-Igbo is down, if we are being honest. Everything must be done to help her get up.
So in summary, instead of trying to distract Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo who is taking real action against these terrorists (for weeks, in line with his CARROT and STICK approach, heavy military operations have been going on in different camps used by the criminal with many killed and many more arrested), ask your own state governor to stop hiding in his govt house every Monday but to come out to do his job of keeping you safe. Do you even know that each of these governors take AT LEAST N600,000,000 (six hundred million naira) EVERY MONTH in the name of security vaults? Some take far more. Yet, you are left at the mercy of heartless criminals unleashing terror on you right there in your own land where you are supposed to feel safest???
The failure of the Southeast Governors Forum led by Dave Umahi got us into this mess. So if you want to criticize, start by criticising Dave Umahi led Southeast Governors Forum for messing up Igbo chances of having a regional security outfit at a time Ndigbo wailed and cried and begged for one to protect us from the marauding herdsmen and thus, creating a JUSTIFIABLE excuse for non-state actors to acquire weapons which brought us to a very shameful situation where we are now under the fear of being killed, maimed, raped or kidnapped not by the herdsmen but by our own flesh and blood.
Soludo was not the governor when this problem was created. As at 2017, Soludo along with professor Chidi Odinalu, Dr Law Mefor etc on behalf of a foremost Igbo Think Tank, Nzuko Umunna to which I belong, visited Nnamdi Kanu in prison after which they held a World Press conference categorically telling Buhari that while Ndigbo believe that Kanu is not above the law, they would also not agree to him being treated beneath the law. So the governor has always been an advocate of fair treatment for all even before becoming governor. He has even set up a Truth and Reconciliation committee to address the root causes of the violence. Again, he has heavily criticised the FG for using delay tactics to keep Kanu behind bars and called on them to either give him a speedy trial or release him.
Now that IPOB, the main recognised self determination group has REPEATEDLY distanced itself from the continued violent enforcement of the sit-at-home and even named the people behind this violence in addition to pledging to fully support Soludo in his effort towards peace, the least expected of every Igbo person is to fully SUPPORT the only governor working towards salvaging Anambra and by extension, Ala-Igbo because if his template works as I’m sure it would, I believe the other sleeping clowns will wake up to copy his style.
The trending story that the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo’s security details exchanged gunfire with unknown gunmen is fake news,our reporter can confirm authoritatively.
The post currently trending on various social media platforms said “People, including women scamper for safety at Ebonyi Airport as Unknown Gunmen attacked Osibanjo’s Security as he stepped down Ebonyi State”.
However, Our Reporter reliably gathered that the report is fake and only happened in the imagination of the promoters.
A journalist in Ebonyi who is among the team that covered the Vice president’s visit said nothing of such happened.
“I was with the team when the Vice president visited the airport and I can confirm to you that nothing of such happened. I was there when the vice president entered his vehicle and nothing of such happened.”
We have also obtained the real image of the Vice president at the airport which doesn’t in any way, show the fake report currently trending on social media..
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has revealed the unknown reason behind the Thursday destructive attack by Gunmen on Aguata Local Government Headquarters in Ekwulobia.
Governor Soludo made this revelation on Friday when he visited and inspected the scene of the attack, where it was also observed that the gunmen burnt down some offices at the Secretariat, as well as some vehicles and nearby shops.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the inspection, the Governor said the attack was only a reprisal by some criminal elements, whose camps and hideouts were earlier invaded that same at Ogboji and Aguluezechukwu by security agencies who also arrested many of them during the operation.
According to him, there was no Anambra indigene among the hoodlums arrested by the operatives, as 85 percent of them are from a state in the South-east, while the remaining 15 percent are from another state in the same zone.
He said: “We have extended the olive branch to all genuine agitators, and made extensive calls for those in the bush to come out and shun criminality.
“How do you explain to any sane mind that “responsible citizens” have elected to pursue a supposed legitimate course adopting criminal strategies of kidnapping, arson and murder? This is despicable, not permissible and against any known law of humanity.
“Yesterday, security operatives smoked out some criminal camps at Ogboji and Aguluezechukwu, and the reprisal is the burning of Aguata L.G A. Headquarters by some of the fleeing criminals. Part of the items found in these criminal hideouts is a register of kidnap victims and the ransoms paid. This is not who we are; never can we, under any guise allow criminals the latitiute to define who we are.
“Ndi Anambra are irrepressible. They are out to reclaim their land, to restore peace, and set the pace for the building of a Liveable and Prosperous Homeland. I repeat, anyone in the bush with a gun is a criminal and would be fiercely resisted by the people.”
The Federal Government and Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra shared victories on Friday, as the treason trial resumed in Abuja.
While the Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday, exonerated the Federal Government over the abduction of Kanu in Kenya, the court also struck out eight of the 15 counts slammed against the separatist leader.
Justice Binta Nyako, who gave the double ruling held that rendition for the purpose of criminal investigation is allowed.
Nyako said since Kanu was on bench warrant, the law allowed that anywhere he is sighted, he can be arrested and be brought to face his trial.
“Rendition for the purpose of criminal investigation is allowed.
“In the instant case, there is bench warrant on the defendant (Kanu). Suffice to say, he is a fugitive before the court,” she said.
The judge also dismissed Kanu’s move to challenge the terrorism charge.
While she struck off eight of the counts, she upheld seven of them.
Nyako said that the federal government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), had been able to establish some allegations against Kanu in counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 15.
“Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 15 show some allegations.
“The court shall proceed to try the defendant (Kanu) on those counts, ” she ruled.
After the review of the 15 counts, she held that eight of the counts appeared to be similar and did not disclose action.
She, therefore, ordered that counts 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 13 and 14 should be struck out.
Nyako also ruled that the order proscribing IPOB as a terror group still subsisted until it was vacated since the issue was on appeal.
She dismissed the argument of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, counsel for Kanu, that whether IPOB was a terrorist organisation under the Nigerian law or not is a subject of appeal.
On Kanu’s bail plea, the judge directed counsel to the parties to present their arguments.
Ozekhome, therefore, argued that his client had never flouted any of the bail conditions, but that Kanu only escaped for his dear life during an attack at his residence.
Citing judicial authorities, he said that “until a person is tried and convicted, he should be allowed to walk free.”
He said his client was still innocent until proven otherwise.
“I humbly urge my lord to use your discretion to grant him bail subject to my lord’s condition,” he said.
But lawyer to the AGF, Shuaibu Labaran, disagreed with Ozekhome, contending that Kanu had violated all the bail terms.
He said because the IPOB leader jumped bail, that was why the court revoked his bail and ordered for his arrest anywhere he was sighted.
Labaran further argued that what should be the subject matter before the court was issue of contempt charge against Kanu and not bail application.
“My lord granted him bail on 2017 on health ground, but since then till date, no medical record was submitted to the court until he jumped bail.
“What we should be saying is contempt of court because he has flagrantly violated the orders of the court,” he said.
He urged the judge to be guided by her discretion vis-a-vis the circumstances of the case.
The lawyer said in the alternative, Nyako should make an order of accelerated hearing on the matter so that Kanu could “know his fate one way or the order.”
The judge adjourned the matter until May 18 and May 26 for ruling on Kanu’s bail application and for trial continuation.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the proceeding, Shuaibu Labaran said the court aligned with the federal government on arguments about rendition.
According to him, the court said that rendition is lawful.
“On issue of rendition, the court bluntly said that rendition, in this situation, is allowed because rendition in criminal case is allowed.
“After all, the defendant is under a bench warrant and anywhere he is seeing, the law allows it to be forcefully brought to court,” he said.
On his part, Ozekhome told journalists that the remaining seven counts affirmed by the court would be challenged at Court of Appeal.
Kanu on Jan. 19 challenged the terrorism charge filed by the federal government against him, arguing that the amended 15-count charge preferred against him was unmeritorious and should be thrown out by the court.
The IPOB leader, through his lawyer, Ozekhome, on Thursday, filed N50 billion damages against the federal government and the AGF over his alleged abduction in Kenya and continued detention.
Kanu had requested N100 million as compensation for the cost of the action at the Federal High Court in Abuja in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/462/22 dated March 7.
The applicant argued that his “abduction and rendition to Nigeria without extradition proceedings or hearing in Kenya is a clear violation of Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act CAP A9, LFN 2004.”
He said it also “violates Article/part 5 (a) of the African Charter’s Principles and Guidelines on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
Of the seven-count charge that Kanu will now face, two of them are:
Count One: “That you Nnamdi Kanu, Male, Adult, of Afatanukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State sometimes in 2021 being a member and leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, a proscribed Organisation, did commit an act in furtherance of an act of Terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the People of Nigeria by making a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to intimidate the population and you threatened that people will die, the whole world will stand still and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.”
Count two: “That you Nnamdi Kanu, Male, Adult, of Afatanukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on diverse dates between the month of March and April 2015 imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulisiuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, a Radio Transmitter known as Tram 50L concealed in a container of used household items which you declared as used household items, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 47(2)(a) of Criminal Code Act, Cap, C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
Counts 3, Kanu is accused of intimidating and threatening that people will die including those who violated his sit-at-home directive.
In count four, the IPOB leader was said to also make several broadcast between 2018 and 2021 wherein he incited members of the public in Nigeria to hunt and kill Nigerian security personnel, including police officers and their family members.
In count eight, Kanu was accused of directing members of IPOB to manufacture bombs, while he was in count nine accused of “intent to destabilize the fundamental political and economic structures of Nigeria” and inciting “members of the public to stop the Anambra State elections” and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1 (2) (h) of the terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013
Count 15: “That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on diverse dates between the month of March and April 2015 imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulisiuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, a radio transmitter known as Tram 50OL concealed in a container of used household items which you declared as used household items, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 47 (2) (a) of Criminal Code Act, Cap, C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”,
High Court orders secret trial in terrorism charges, moves Nnamdi Kanu’s case to CCT
The Federal High Court of Nigeria has introduced its new Practice Directions on the trial of terrorism-related cases in the country.
Under the new trial of terrorism-related offences are to henceforth be conducted in camera.
Except where the Chief Judge of the court grants permission, media coverage may be prohibited.
The Chief Judge of the court, Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, in the exercise of his constitutional powers as enshrined in section 254 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and all other powers enabling him, hereby made the following Practice Directions.
These Practice Directions seek to provide measures that will ensure the security and safety of parties; personnel of law enforcement agencies and the Judiciary; as well as members of the general public; while ensuring expeditious and fair trial of persons suspected of having committed acts of terrorism.
Order 1 relates to the applicability of terrorism-related suits that are before the Federal High Court.
According to the law;
•The perimeters of the Court sitting over a terrorism trial shall be secured for the period of the trial for the safety of litigants and Court officials.
•Distance and size of perimeters to be secured for the trial shall be determined based on the recommendation of security agencies on a case-by-case basis.
•No person shall be allowed within the secured perimeters save the approved Court officials; parties and a number of pre-registered legal practitioners on either side, witnesses; and any other person as may be directed by the Judge or the most Senior Judge in the given circumstances.
Other measures put in place to guarantee the safety of Court officials and court users within the court premises include:
°Only the Judges; other essential Court Staff and security agencies involved in the particular case and their vehicles shall have access to the Court premises.
The new Practice Directions stipulate that; •Proceedings of offences of terrorism, subject to the provisions of section 232 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and section 34 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 (as amended), shall be held in camera or as may be ordered by the Court.
•The names, addresses, telephone numbers and identities of the victims of such offences or witnesses in the proceedings shall not be disclosed in any record or report of the proceedings and it shall be sufficient to designate the names of the victims or witnesses with a combination of alphabets.
In any proceedings where the Court deems it necessary to ensure the safety and/or protect the identity of the victim or a witness, it may take any or all of the following protective measures:
°Hold its proceedings at any place to be designated by the Chief Judge and in the case of the Abuja Judicial Division, the venue for the time being, shall be the premises of the Code of Conduct Tribunal;
°Receive evidence by video link;
°Permit the witness to be screened or masked;
°Receive written depositions of expert witnesses;
°Direct that all or any part of the proceedings of the Court shall not be published in any manner;
°Exclude from the proceedings any person other than the parties and their legal representatives;
°Make order as to any electronic devices that would be allowed during a proceeding
°Make an order on any other measure that the Court considers appropriate in the circumstances.
The coverage of proceedings under these Practice Directions is strictly prohibited, save as may be directed by the Court.
A person who contravenes an order or direction made under these Practice Directions shall be deemed to have committed an offence contrary to section 34(5) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 (as amended).
These Practice Directions shall be cited as the Federal High Court Practice Directions (On Trial of Terrorism Cases) 2022.
A statement by the Chief Information Officer of the Court, Mrs Catherine Christopher on Thursday in Abuja said that the Practice Directions take shall take immediate effect.
INNOSON Motors, largest indigenous Carmakers in Nigeria is now set to hand over 150,000 garbage Compressor to Anambra State Government to tackle environmental hazard in the state, ANAMBRA PEOPLE reports.
Chairman and Chief Executive of the company, Innocent Chukwuma who disclosed this to ANAMBRA PEOPLE in Nnewi further stated that the group has concluded plans to increase its production capacity to 60,000 vehicles yearly.
His word, “Our immediate focus is to reach production level of over 60,000 vehicles this year even we will soon hand over 150,000 garbage Compressors to Anambra State Government as part of the facilities being put in place by Governor Charles Soludo’s administration to battle environmental pollution in the state”.
“At the moment, we are producing 10,000 vehicles every year but with the installation of more automated lines for coupling of vehicles and its fabricating we shall be producing 60,000 vehicles yearly and this would go a long way to meet and over shoot our production capacity”.
He stated that at the moment they produce and supply their products to five African states which includes Mali, Chad, Sierra Leone and Cote De Ivorie , stressing that with current development, they will be ahead of demand for the brand.
“The current expansion effort was to actualize our mission to become a giant in vehicle manufacturing in Africa by saving Nigerians and Africans vehicle needs”.
Contributing, Head, Corporate Communication, Cornel Osigwe expressed satisfaction over Governor Soludo’s endorsement of Innoson as the official vehicles for the state government. “He is the first governor to use Innoson vehicle and we are hopeful that such endorsement will increase from other state government’s patronage”.
