Justice Binta Nyako of the the Federal High Court in Abuja has withdrawn from the treason trial of the self acclaimed leader of the separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Justice Nyako announced her withdrawal on Tuesday shortly after Kanu demanded that the judge recuse herself from his trial.
At the mention of the case on Tuesday, Kanu’s lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor urged the court to postpone the commencement of trial, claiming that his client was denied the opportunity to prepare his defence.
But, before Ejimakor could conclude his submission , Kanu rose from where he sat in a dock and told his lawyer to sit down.
Kanu said: “Sit down! I say you should sit down,” adding “my lord, I have no confidence in this court any more and I ask you to recuse yourself because you did not abide by the decision of the Supreme Court.
The value of the naira has appreciated again against the United States dollar in the official foreign exchange market. According to data from FMDQ securities, the naira exchange rate against the dollar closed at N1,541.52/$.
The latest exchange rate is N2.70 or 0.16% depreciation compared with Wednesday’s closing rate of N1,544.02/$1.
The good performance of the naira for the second straight trading day happened as forex supply increased on Friday by 117.8% or $103.06 million to $190.57 million from the $87.51 million recorded a day earlier.
This open letter has become necessary in view of the current economic situation in the Country as well as the need to encourage productivity. I had expected Mr Governor to automate all the land assets in the major cities in the State within 24 Months of his administration .This is in line with Solution manifesto which promised Ndi Anambra that processing of title document(s) will be done within 72 hours .
I have been reliably informed that ministry of land is making arrangements to digitalize land assets in the State,however ,such arrangement is still on the drawing board and has not seen the light of the day .
The purpose of this open letter is to draw the attention of Mr Governor to what has been going on in various communities in the name of development levy. In Nkpor for instance, youths and community leaders demand as high as N800,000 as development levy before property owners could be allowed to develop on their legally acquired properties. In Nkwelle Ezunaka, developers pay higher including all forms of levies . In Awka , youths have set a parallel government with different command structures extorting money from innocent property owners . In Nnewi and Oba axis , the story is the same . Few months ago ,a friend of mine wanted to fence his property in Isiagu , some youths stopped his site Engineers from mixing cement until development levy of N300,000 is paid . Mgbakwu and Okpuno are not left out in the development levy collections ! This development levy has become a tradition in all the communities in the State that even the Army and Police recognize it as a legitimate levy ,alas , nobody has seen where such money is utilized for any known purpose like construction of roads and drainage system!
Mr Governor , i have always believed that you would reform the institutions in Anambra State the very way you reformed the Nigeria financial market . In 21st century , technology has made very complex workload become easier.With technology ,Land management has become a major source of Government revenue earnings as well as avenue to build public wealth and increase people purchasing power. Land administration is not in exclusive list like crude oil and gas , it is under the command of Mr Governor.
Looking around us , the major source of income in most communities is land transactions,that many people can kill in order to control the ”oil business ‘ called land speculation ‘ .Your Government can do better by streamlining the land transactions such that it will encourage investment and increase Government revenue as well as creating quality jobs for youths and community leaders . A working formula could be worked out such that all the stakeholders will be smiling to the banks.
Note that lack of economic opportunities and income inequalities could be among others, reason why youths and community leaders see land development levy as their legitimate rights .
Mr Governor , the confusion in land transactions within the State calls for your urgent attention and intervention. It is a complex situation but only your office can resolve the situation and this could be done by working closely with the hardworking Commissioner of Land .
Our youths need to be shown how to earn legitimate income while enforcing the law on rural and urban planning . I still believe that our people are the best but they need visionary leadership.
…fingers officers at police zones 9 Umuahia, 13 Ukpo
Ônurube, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over the alleged deprivation of Mrs. Perpetua Nwagbo’s right to inheritance, the perpetuation of harmful widowhood practices, and fundamental rights abuse by the Federal Investigation Department (FID) Abuja and State Investigation Department (SID) units of the Nigerian Police, as well as one Dr Charles Nzeh.
The group, based in the five Southeast states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, and with special focus on gender-based violence, in the petition signed by the Convener, Marjorie Ngozi Ezihe, among other things, called on the IGP to engage actions to bring to justice all those in the corridor of justice who have enabled the continued marginalization, traumatization and sustained abuse of the vulnerable widow, as well as members of her extended family.
The group also wants the IGP to stop the ongoing harassment of Mrs. Nwagbo and her husband’s family by persons using the police in zones 9 Umuahia and 13 Ukpo.
It was gathered from the petition that Mrs. Nwagbo, from Umunachi village of Osuama autonomous community in Isiala Mbano Local Government area of Imo State, was allegedly abducted from her shop in the state on Friday, September 13th, 2024, by men of the Police from the SID.
Without definite unit information, the NGO reached out to the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, who assisted in locating the widow.
The petition to the IGP also explained that when Mrs Nwagbo was later found seated in a police facility in Imo, she looked pale, mute and withdrawn, and that a man seated beside her who introduced himself as Dr. Charles Nzeh persisted in responding to questions posed at Perpetua on why she was brought to the police facility.
According to the NGO, the man, Dr Nzeh, claimed to represent “a brother,” Obiora Ezeakabekwe, who is the second respondent in a case instituted by the widow and her late husband’s family. Dr. Nzeh alleged Mrs Nwagbo’s culpability in criminal infractions against Obiora Ezeakabekwe, the reason she was wanted in Onitsha as ordered by the Abuja office of the FID.
Though they were said to have expressed willingness to stop proceedings against the widow and pay her 10 million naira for Livelihood support if she renounces support for legal action and ownership of her late husband’s property, the NGO petition to the IGP further alleged that to forcibly take over the widow’s late husband’s landed property situated at Trans-Nkisi Onitsha, the said Dr. Nzeh and others had falsified documents; declaring Mrs. Nwagbo dead, and presenting themselves as executors of the estate of her late husband, Clement, who died in 2002.
Meanwhile, a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State, has granted bail to the sum of five hundred thousand naira to the 54-year-old widow and mother of a girl child, who is currently facing trial for allegedly conspiring with others to break into a building with the intent to commit a felony, among other 5-count charges.
With the Inspector General of Police as complainant, Mrs Nwagbo, alongside her brother-in-law, Michael Nwagbo, aged 45, and others now at large, are accused of conspiring among themselves sometime in 2020 at Onitsha.
Among other charges brought against the defendants were that they criminally and unlawfully broke into the fence housing Plot No 288 Trans-Nkisi Layout Onitsha said to be the property of one Mr. Obiora Ezeakabekwe, and chased away his workers who were working on the land and thereby committed an offense punishable under section 381 of the Criminal Code Law CAP 36 Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991.
The defendants are also accused of giving false information to the police by denying knowledge of the existence of the said plot of land and their involvement in any transaction relating to the land, an offense punishable under section 154(1) of the Criminal Gode Law, CAP 36 Revised Laws of Anambra State 1991.
Addressing journalists after the court proceedings presided over by Justice U.B Okoye granted the defendants bail and adjourned the case to 22nd October for the continuation of trial, an Owerri-based lawyer and leader of the defense team, Sylvia Iwejor, said their widow client was arrested and detained on trumped-up charges, adding that the bail conditions for her and co-defendant were very severe.
On her part, the Convener of Ônurube, Ezihe, explained that without a frantic search at police facilities that led to her being found in police custody in Imo, Mrs Nwagbo would have been brought to the Onitsha court in kangaroo style for continued detention.
In the past few weeks, Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has been reorganizing his media team. This commenced after Sir Paul Chukwuma announced members of his campaign team made up of experienced and credible hands who are familiar with Anambra State and its politics.
Apparently rattled by this development, Governor Soludo responded starting by appointing Mr. Chuka Nnabuife as Managing Director of the Civic and Social Reformation Office.
Nnabuife who was the Managing Director of Anambra Newspaper and Printing Corporation, which Soludo has shut down, was initially interviewed for the position more than six months ago.
Coincidentally, his appointment, it would appear, came as part of Soludo’s response to Sir Paul Chukwuma, who is now the new face of strategic opposition politics in Anambra State.
Last week, the governor announced the sack of the Managing Director of Anambra Broadcasting Service – ABS, Chido Obidiegwu, and immediately replaced him with Mr. Molokwu. Then on Tuesday, Soludo’s Commissioner for Information Paul Nwosu, left the government and on that same day, the governor sent Dr. Law Mefor as his new nominee for the position of Commissioner for Information in Anambra State, to the Anambra State House of Assembly. The same day, he was screened and confirmed and sworn in immediately as the new Anambra State Commissioner for Information. During the screening at the plenary presided over by Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Okoye, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Dr. Mefor was required to respond to questions from honourable members. Rt. Hon. Okoye took time to recognize and call members to ask their questions. Hon. Noble Igwe, Hon. Golden Ilo, Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme, the Majority Leader, Hon. Tony Muobike, Hon. Ndubuisi Ngobili, and Hon. Augustine Ike, asked questions to which Dr. Mefor duly answered.
Two things stood out from his responses; one is that Dr. Law Mefor is fully aware that his appointment carries significant political weight and an unimaginable demand on him to deliver on that mandate.
Unsurprisingly, Dr. Mefor kept emphasizing that he would rely on political communication and also work with Chuka Nnabuife’s agency, to manage the people’s perception. The second thing that stood out when responding to the inquiry about how he intends to get the money to fund his political communication, he said he would rely on his goodwill and longstanding contacts.
This may suggest that Dr. Law Mefor is already familiar with the problem funding has created for the media in Soludo’s government.
As an experienced media personality, Dr. Mefor might have done his bits if he started the journey with Governor Soludo. But right now, with the level of disconnection between the current government in Anambra State and the people, the rising insecurity, the lack of human face which the government is often accused of, and the more traditional accusation of lack of listening ability by the government; all these have now made the job far more uneasy. Although Dr, Mefor is grounded in media practice and may better manage press men and women in Anambra State, the challenge now is that he has inherited a neglected media community and the benefits will naturally rub off. He has inherited goodwill that has now dried up and a relationship that has turned sore.
For that and many more reasons, there is only a slim chance for him to make a good impression and quickly win the support he needs to succeed. With about a year to the next governorship election, Mefor has not exactly joined the government in the best of times. However, at least, Anambra State now has a Commissioner for Information who will answer his phone calls and respond to messages from journalists. But it is not enough.
The reality is that it is not going to be an easy ride. Whatever it’s worth, what Dr. Law Mefor plans to do differently might not align with the expectations of his employer. Considering that Prof. Soludo is now almost anxious about his public perception, his expectations are certainly high. At some point, if Dr. Mefor falls into work pressure as the stake becomes higher, political dynamics might change with intense speed and cause a sweep. This is predictable. For now, the only person who can make a difference in Governor Soludo’s public perception is Governor Soludo himself.
Good Governance ministry would like to convey our warmest congratulations to Dr Law Mefor ( Ichie Anueyiagu) on his appointment as the Commissioner for information in the Government of Anambra State.
Your appointment comes at this auspicious moment where the challenges of communicating Government information is at its lowest ebb and when Citizen’s awareness about government activities is much needed more than ever before.
Therefore,we have the conviction that you posses the confidence, clout and the track record to navigate the emerging complexities of managing information in meeting and exceeding expectations especially in the current globalization of things.
Be assured of our support and sincere wishes in carrying out your duties in furtherance of progress and prosperity of Ndi Anambra.
Signed
Henry Ebubeogu
Spokesperson,GGM.
Email: ggovernanceministry@gmail.com
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Omoyele Sowore, the convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Sowore was taken into custody immediately upon his arrival in Nigeria on Sunday.
Earlier that day,our Reporter reported that members of the Take It Back Movement and other activists gathered at the airport to await Sowore’s return.
He had been in the United States with his family. His flight departed from Washington Dulles International Airport at 6:14 AM EDT and arrived in Lagos at approximately 9:43 AM WAT.
On September 12, 2024, SaharaReporters exclusively revealed that a DSS memo ordering Sowore’s arrest upon his arrival had leaked.
In response, Sowore criticized the DSS for issuing the arrest directive, stating that he intended to return to Nigeria “very soon.”
In a post on his X account on Thursday, Sowore remarked, “The current administration, led by Tinubu, has shown an alarming inability to effectively track and apprehend terrorism suspects, bandits, and kidnappers, while the @officialEFCC has yet to arrest former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
“Meanwhile, the lawless @OfficialDSSNG has added my name to their ‘watchlist’ for arrest upon my arrival in Nigeria.”
He emphasized, “It is crucial to acknowledge that Nigeria needs salvation, and our people require liberation, which will require considerable effort. I plan to return home shortly, I mean very soon.”
The arrest directive, issued by the newly appointed DSS Director General, Adeola Ajayi, was linked to Sowore’s involvement in the recent 10-day #EndBadGovernance protests.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has officially reached an agreement with the management of Dangote Refinery on the commercial terms for the supply of crude oil to the refinery and the off-taking and distribution of petrol and diesel from the facility.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, said the Dangote Refinery will begin the distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) on Sunday.
Edun, who was represented by the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr Zacch Adedeji, said this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.
“I am glad to announce that all agreements have been completed and loading of the first batch of PMS from the Dangote Refinery will commence on Sunday, Sept. 15.
“From Oct. 1, NNPC Ltd. will commence the supply of about 385kbpd of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery, to be paid for in Naira. In return, the Dangote Refinery will supply PMS and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market, to be paid in Naira.
“Diesel will be sold in Naira by the Dangote Refinery to any interested off-taker. PMS will only be sold to NNPC, NNPC will then sell to various marketers for now,” he said.
Edun said that all associated regulatory costs (NPA, NIMASA, etc.) would also be paid for in Naira.
“We are also setting up a one-stop shop that will coordinate service provision from all regulatory, and security agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth implementation of this initiative. This will be located in Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA). Lagos.
“The technical committee that worked to flesh out this initiative will transition to an implementation execution and monitoring committee that will be working out of Lagos for the next three to six months,” he said.
Edun recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) , under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, approved the sale of crude oil to local refineries in Naira and corresponding purchase of petroleum products in Naira.
He said that the initiative would help reduce pressure on the Naira, eliminate unnecessary transaction costs, and improve availability of petroleum products in the country.
The minister said that the implementation committee chaired by him, and the other technical committee had worked intensely with NNPCL and Dangote Refinery, to fashion out the details of the modalities for the implementation of FEC approval.
“We would sincerely like to thank President Tinubu for championing this novel initiative and assure him that he can count on us to implement his vision.
“I will also like to thank everyone for the hard work and patriotism exhibited over the last couple of weeks,” he said.
Our Reporter reports that Edun chaired the presidential committee on the sales of crude oil and refined products for domestic consumption in Naira.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken swift action against one of its prominent members, Senator Dino Melaye from Kogi, suspending him over alleged anti-party activities.
This decision, according to a memo sighted by on Friday, was made by the ward party executive committee in Ayetoro/Iluagba Ward 1 after reviewing the report of the disciplinary committee set up to investigate Melaye’s actions.
It appears that Melaye’s recent actions were deemed detrimental to the PDP’s interests and unity, prompting the suspension.
This move is not unprecedented, as the PDP has taken similar actions against other members accused of anti-party activities. For instance, Peter Babalola, a chieftain from Osun, was suspended in August 2024 for alleged anti-party activities and not attending party meetings for two years.
In another instance, former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, was also suspended by the Benue PDP over alleged anti-party activities.
Similarly, Senator Gabriel Suswam and others were summoned by the Benue PDP over alleged gross misconduct and anti-party activities.
These actions demonstrate the PDP’s commitment to maintaining party discipline and unity. However, details of Melaye’s suspension are still emerging, and more information is expected to follow.
The Biafra De Facto Customary Government (BDFCG) wishes to reassure Biafrans that, despite the current confusion engulfing Nigeria, there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel. The failure of the Nigerian state is evident, rooted in a faulty foundation that has led to the collapse of its political and economic systems. As Biafrans, it is essential that we stay focused on the path towards freedom, a path that guarantees a better future for our people.
In the political realm, it is clear that Nigeria’s institutions are crumbling. One cannot plant mangoes and expect to harvest oranges. The absence of internal democracy within all political parties has destroyed the nation’s political framework, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) exploiting the ignorance and indifference of the people. The inability of the oppressed masses to unite and choose a clear course of action has allowed the ruling political class to maintain their grip on power, perpetuating the oppression of the people.
On the economic front, the situation is even worse. The ill-conceived policies of floating the naira and the purported removal of fuel subsidies have inflicted untold hardship on Nigeria’s indigenous populations. For decades, Biafrans have maintained that Nigeria is not a nation-state but a construct designed to serve the business interests of foreign powers and a select few local elites. The political structure of Nigeria, built on fraudulent foundations, dictates and corrupts the economic system. As long as the political structure remains fraudulent, the economic suffering will persist. This confusion will not end until the indigenous peoples of Nigeria come together to pursue a system built on indigenous values and interests.
However, for Biafrans, the path forward is becoming clearer each day. The majority now agree with the De Facto Customary Government that the struggle for independence is a political process, and the power of the people surpasses that of the few in government. Armed struggle is a relic of the past and is not the instrument to use in the 21st century to secure political power. Instead, it is through the political process that state actors can organize and mobilize the people to determine their future.
The Biafra De Facto Customary Government remains committed to educating and mobilizing Biafrans on the sure path to political and economic freedom. We will continue our efforts to lead the people towards achieving independence and liberation within the shortest possible time.
