The lead counsel of NnamdiKanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, AloyEjimakor, on Friday denied reports of giving some conditions for the trial of the Biafra agitator during his last proceedings at the Abuja Federal High Court.

Ejimakor explained that the claims of Kanu’s legal team giving conditions for his trial before Justice BintaNyako-led Federal High Court was false and misleading.

Giving a rundown of events during the last proceedings, he said at the last hearing in 17th April 2024, the main issue before the court was “our application to have Kanu’s bail reinstated, in line with the clear and unequivocal pronouncement of the Supreme Court in its judgment of 15th December, 2023.”

He noted that the the kernel of their argument for bail restoration pivots on the determination made by the Supreme Court to the effect that Kanu’s bail was revoked in error, based on the misrepresentation or false premise that he had jumped bail, of which the Supreme Court made a finding that he did not. Below is part of what the Supreme Court had stated.

In a statement, the lead counsel said: “My attention has been drawn to some publications in the media, purporting that – at the last hearing of his case on 17th April 2024 – MaziNnamdiKanu had given conditions for his trial. By this Press Release, I wish to make it clear that any such publication, regardless of how well-intentioned, is misleading. For avoidance of doubt, below is the true state of affairs:

“The respondent was on bail and therefore in custody of the law when his home was illegally invaded by heavily armed military officers of the appellant causing him to flee from his home and the country to secure his life. In the face of such an attack, it was responsible for him to flee to secure his life and physical well being.

“That is what any normal and reasonable human being would do in that circumstance to preserve his life and physical well-being. It is glaring that the consequences of that attack were intended or foreseeable. This is not arguable.

“The appellant’s officials knew that their invasion of the respondent’s home caused him to tun away to secure his life and physical well-being. Yet during proceedings in the pending criminal case against him, they applied that his bail be revoked, that a warrant for his arrest be issued and his sureties forfeit their respective bail bond and that his trial in his absence be ordered because he had jumped bail and is not in court to stand his trial. But they knew that their illegal actions made it impossible for the respondent to be in court for his trial. In a situation such as this one, where the prosecution has taken extrajudicial actions against the defendant in a pending criminal case brought by it and made it impossible for the defendant who is on bail to be in court for his or her trial, it is wrong to treat such a defendant as having jumped bail in the sense that he is running from prosecution or running to avoid prosecution in the pending criminal case in respect of which he was granted bail.

“The respondent did not intentionally and knowingly fail to appear in court. It was therefore wrong and malicious for the appellant that had cause the respondent to flee from his home and country to secure his life and that had therefore caused his unavoidable absence from court, to inform and thereby deceived the trial court that the respondent had jumped bail.

“On the basis of this deception, the appellant applied to the trial court for an order revoking the respondent’s bail, forfeiting the amount securing the bail bond of his sureties and an order issuing a bench warrant for his arrest. It is glaring from the record of the proceedings in the trial court that it granted the said orders prayed for by the appellant with knowledge of the fact that the respondent’s absence from court was caused by the invasion of his home by army officers of the appellant.

“Therefore, the trial court knew that the said extra judicial and illegal actions of the appellant made it impossible for the respondent to be in court for his trial, that the respondent’s absence is not intentional or deliberate absence and that the respondent is not running from prosecution or running to avoid prosecution.

“In the light of the foregoing, the trial court acted unfairly and without rational and legal justifiable basis by its decisions revoking the respondent’s bail, forfeiting the amount securing the bail bond of his sureties and its order issuing a bench warrant for his arrest. The orders were made on the basis of the false assumption that the respondent jumped bail.

“It was on the basis of the order of arrest of the respondent obtained under the false pretense that he jumped bail that his extradition or rendition from Kenya was carried out
“In addition to the above, there is a lot more of what the Supreme Court had said against the revocation of Kanu’s bail and the consequent issuance of the bench warrant that grandfathered his infamous extraordinary rendition.

“It is on basis of this pronouncement that we made a vigorous submission on 17th April that the Federal High Court is bound to restore Kanu’s bail, as demanded by the Constitution at Section 287(1) thus: “The decisions of the Supreme court shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons, and by courts with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Supreme Court”.

Ejimakor said Kanu’s legal team further advanced the common sense argument that bail restoration is the next best alternative that will enhance the environment for the accelerated trial the Court had ordered, because it will put an end to the stringent DSS detention conditions which have posed grave risks to Kanu’s fair trial rights as guaranteed under the Constitution.

For good measure, he stressed the point to the Court that it is against the ethics of the legal profession for any lawyer to advise a client to succumb to trial whilst his detention conditions are not conducive to his constitutional right to unhindered access to Counsel and the adequate facility to prepare his defense. It is even more egregious in the case of MaziNnamdiKanu, because most of the charges he is facing carry the death penalty.

“The forgoing is a summary of the case-in-chief we had presented in Court on 17th April, 2024. We never presented any ‘conditions’. We don’t even fancy ourselves possessing the slightest coercive wherewithal to present conditions to the Court or the Nigerian State,” he added.

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and former president, Goodluck Jonathan, have disagreed over the establishment of state police in the country.

There have been renewed calls for the establishment of state police following an increase in kidnappings, banditry, and violent attacks across the country.

Speaking during a national dialogue on state police organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja, with the theme: ‘Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria’, Egbetokun, represented by Ben Okolo, an assistant inspector-general of police, said Nigeria is not ready for a decentralised police force.

He said, “It is the submission of the leadership of the Nigeria police force that Nigeria is yet to mature for the establishment of state-controlled police.”

The IGP listed some of the challenges as inadequate manpower, inadequate operational equipment such as vehicles, arms and ammunition, communication equipment, drones, aerial surveillance cameras, security surveillance helicopters, armoured vehicles, and inadequate training of personnel.

He added that state police would create a conflict of jurisdiction and open to abuse by state governors.

Ex-President Jonathan, on the other hand, stated that with the spate of kidnappings, the issue of state police is non-negotiable.

“So the National Assembly needs to look into all these. These are the areas that we have to concentrate. The issue of the need for states to have their own police is not negotiable. There is no way we can continue this kidnapping that is going on in this country.

Jonathan, however, added that for state police to be implemented, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be rejigged.

“So if we are talking about state police, we must also rejig INEC, and the police must not be used against or to the advantage of any political party.

“The issue of voting, the polling booths of INEC, and the use of police during elections has to be reviewed by the National Assembly,” Jonathan added.

The Kenya Police Service has arrested fleeing Binance executive Nadeem Anjarawalla, who escaped from custody in Nigeria.

There are indications that the International Police Organisation, INTERPOL, plans to extradite him to Nigeria this week.

A reliable source in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this to newsmen on Monday.

“Anjarawalla has been arrested in Kenya by the Kenya Police Service through intelligence by the International Police Organisation. Nigeria has kickstarted talks with INTERPOL about his extradition,” the source said.

Our Correspondent had reported that Anjarawalla, who escaped lawful custody in Nigeria, was found in Kenya. EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukuyede, had in a statement in March, said that the Commission is collaborating with INTERPOL, the US, UK, Northern Ireland and Kenyan authorities to extradite Anjarwalla.

The Commission had slammed a five-count charge bordering on tax evasion, currency speculation and money laundering against Binance Holdings Limited, Tigran Gambaryan and Anjarwalla, the firm’s executives.

EFCC arraigned Binance and the two executives on Thursday, April 4, 2024.

Recall that Anjarwalla escaped from custody on March 22 and has been at large since then.

The Inspector General of Police, OlukayodeEgbetokun, has opposed the establishment of State Police, saying the country was not ripe for it.

Egbetokun stated this during a one-day dialogue on state policing, themed, ‘Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria’ on Monday.

He stated that the establishment of state Police would exacerbate ethnic tension, leading to divided loyalty in the states.

“On the issue of state police, it is the submission of the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) that Nigeria is not yet mature and ready for the establishment of state-controlled police,” the IGP, represented by AIG Ben Okolo, said at the event organised by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas.”

Represented by Assistant Inspector General of Police, Ben Okolo, the IG said the establishment of state police will also lead to multiple command structures in the states.

He also claimed that state governors were likely to abuse the privilege of state police by using it for political gains, leading to possible abuse of power and abuse of human rights.

“State governors could use the police forces under their control for political or personal gain and undermine human rights and security. There would also be a conflict of jurisdiction,” he noted.

He argued the state Governments lacked the required funding that would give birth to the type of policing that the nation requires.

He also said there was the need for a yearly recruitment of about 30,000 police personnel into the Force annually to meet the UN requirements for modern policing, while also increasing annual budgetary allocation to the Force.

Rather than establishing state police across the country, he recommended merging the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Commission to form departments in the Nigeria Police Force.

Organised by the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the dialogue is the beginning of deliberations on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (alteration) bill 2023 (Establishment of State Police) sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu and 13 others.

The bill was designed to improve public safety and strengthen law enforcement in Nigeria by decentralising the police. The proposal in the bill provides for state police alongside the federal police and outlines a constitutional framework for states that choose to establish and maintain their service.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, FCT Command, has intercepted 10 victims of human trafficking at Zubamotor park in Abuja.

A statement by NSCDC FCT Command spokesperson, Samuel Idoko, said the rescued victims, aged between 24 and 34, comprised of one male and nine female, who all claimed to be indigenes of Ondo State.

According to him, on interrogation, it was gathered that the victims were being sponsored for illegal migration abroad.

”The victims were accosted at Zuba motor park, Abuja, by officers of the command, following a tip off of their return from Minna, where they had gone to process their International passports as directed by their sponsor.

”The victims confessed to have paid N80, 000 to facilitate the procurement of the International passport.

”They also confessed to being promised migration abroad to undertake ready-made jobs, especially in North Africa and Canada by a yet to be identified sponsor, who according to them, resides in Okitipupa, Ondo state”, he said.

Idoko stated that the victims had been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person, NAPTIP, by the NSCDC Commandant, Olusola Odumosu.

Odumosu was quoted as saying, “Be careful of the type of people that are promising you a better future abroad. Don’t be desperate because some of them might end up ruining your live; they deceive you and collect huge sums of money from you for ready-made jobs, whereas, you may end up in slavery or forced to be sex workers.

“If you must travel abroad, follow the right channel that will give you rest of mind, don’t allow somebody to seize your international passport abroad, and place you under an oath that you will regret.”

He submitted that the sentence imposed by the trial court is punitive contrary to the mandatory provisions of the ACJA on sentencing.

Controversial cross-dresser and socialite, Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, has filed a notice of appeal challenging his conviction on a four-count charge of Naira abuse.

In his Notice of Appeal filed by his lawyer, Bimbo Kusanu, Bobrisky is asking the court to set aside the six months imprisonment sentence imposed on him and replacing same with the option of a fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) on each of the counts against him.
On April 12, 2024, Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos had sentenced Bobrisky, to six months imprisonment without an option of fine for abusing the Nigerian currency.

The judge while sentencing the convict, said the judgment would serve as a deterrent to others that are fond of abusing and mutilating the Naira.

On April 5, Bobrisky had pleaded guilty to the four-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the court.

In his Notice of Appeal, however, the appellant stated that the trial court imposed the maximum sentence on him despite having no previous record criminal of conviction and when there were options to impose a lesser sentence by the provisions of the ACJA.

He submitted that the sentence imposed by the trial court is punitive contrary to the mandatory provisions of the ACJA on sentencing.

The Appellant also stated that the judge did not consider his positive antecedent of not wasting the precious judicial resources of the trial court when he pleaded guilty to the charge.

He further stated that the Appellant honoured the invitation of the Respondent (the EFCC) on the first invitation during the investigation leading to the charge.

Part of the decision of the lower court complained of are “The sentence of the Lower Court that imposed maximum penalty of six-months imprisonment without option of fine on the Appellant who is a first time convict without previous record of criminal conviction.

“The Learned trial Judge erred in Law and in facts by his imposition of the maximum sentence of 6 Months imprisonment terms against the Appellant without option of fine contrary to the provisions of Section 416(2) d of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015 (“ACJA”) that prescribed the mandatory guidelines on the trial Court on imposition of sentencing after criminal conviction of a first time offender as the Appellant.

“The trial Court imposed the maximum sentence on the Appellant who has no previous record criminal of conviction when there are options to impose a lesser sentence by the provisions of the ADCJA.

“The Sentence imposed by the trial Court against the Appellant is punitive contrary to the mandatory provisions of the Law (ACJA) on sentencing.

“The Appellant has suffered miscarriage of Justice by the maximum sentence imposed by the learned trial Court.

“The reasons adduced by the learned trial Court for the imposition of maximum punishment on the Appellant which is essentially on what foreigners think of abuse of Naira,is perverse and is out of tune with the reality of what the trial Court should have been considered to impose maximum punishment on the Appellant.

“The intendment of the provisions of the Central Bank Act 2007 that the Appellant was charged with is for Nigerians not to tamper with Naira and not what nationals of foreign countries view about tampering with Naira.

“The trial Court did not consider the positive antecedent of the Appellant who did not waste the precious Judicial resources of the trial Court when he pleaded guilty to the Charge.

The Appellant honoured the invitation of the Respondent-Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the first invitation during the investigation leading to the charge”.

“The trial Court failed to exercise his discretion judiciously and judicially in sentencing the Appellant. which has occasioned miscarriage of justice against the Appellant.”

Consequently, he urged the court to set aside the 6 months maximum imprisonment sentence imposed on him and in its place impose fine of N50,000 ( Fifty Thousand Naira) on each of the counts against the Appellant.

The Nigerian Army has dismissed two soldiers for stealing armoured cables at the Dangote refinery in Lagos.

The soldiers were dismissed after they were found guilty of the offence during a summary trial, according to army spokesperson, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Monday, April 22.

Our correspondent reports that the soldiers, Corporal Innocent Joseph and Lance Corporal Jacob Gani, were arrested by the Nigerian Army after they were accused of stealing armoured cables from the Dangote refinery in Lagos on April 14.

According to the army spokesperson, after a thorough investigation conducted in collaboration with the management of the company, the two soldiers were found to have abandoned their duty post and were in unauthorized possession of the materials.

He said: “Subsequently, they were both charged for Failure to Perform Military Duties punishable under section 57, subsection (1) and Other Civil Offences punishable under section 114, subsection (1) of the Armed Forces Act CAP A20, the Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

“They were summarily tried. During the trial, the evidence against them was presented and they were given the opportunity to present their cases and defend themselves but were found guilty of the charges levelled against them in accordance with military laws.

“As a demonstration of the Nigerian Army’s zero-tolerance for misconduct and criminality within its ranks, the two soldiers have been dismissed from the Nigerian Army with immediate effect and handed over to relevant authorities for further prosecution.”

Nwachukwu said the decisive action underscores the army’s “resoluteness in maintaining its institutional integrity and reputation.”

He assured the public of the army’s dedication to upholding integrity, discipline, and accountability at all levels.
“We remain resolute in our duty to protect and serve the nation with honour and dignity,” Nwachukwu said.

The federal government on Monday, April 22, vowed to sell off the five electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) now under the management of banks and Asset Management Company (AMCON) in the next three months to reputable technical power operators.

Recalled that Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) is currently under the management of the United Bank of Africa (UBA), Fidelity Bank manages Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, and Kano Electricity Distribution Company while Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company is under the AMCON management.

They all found themselves under the new management arrangement owing to their inability to repay their loans.

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, who made this known to the Senate Committee on Power was in an oversight visit to the ministry in Abuja, that the energy distribution assets are technical and as such, they should be under the management of technical experts.

He informed the committee that tough decisions on the DisCos have become necessary because the entire Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) fails when they refuse to perform.

According to him, the ministry will prevail on the Nigerian Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to revoke underperforming licenses and also change the management board of the DisCos if it becomes the solution.

Adelabu said, “Lastly, on distribution. Very soon you will see that tough decisions will be taken on the DisCos. They are the last lap of the sector. If they don’t perform, the entire sector is not performing.

”The entire ministry is not performing. We have put pressure on NERC, which is their regulator to make sure they raise the bar on regulation activities.

” If they have to withdraw licenses for non-performance, why not?If they have to change the board of management, why not?

“And all the DisCos that are still under AMCON and Banks, within the next three months, they must be sold to technical power operators with good reputations in utility management.

“We can no longer afford AMCON to run our DisCos. We can no longer afford the banks to run our DisCos. This is a technical industry and it must be run by technical experts.”

The minister also noted that it has become necessary to reorganize the DisCos for efficiency.

He stressed that Ibadan DisCo is too large for one company to manage.
Responding to the decision to resell the DisCos, a member of the committee, Senator Isah Jibrin alleged that some of the operators have stripped the assets of the DisCos they took over in 2013.

He insisted that the operators of any revoked DisCo must be compelled to fix the assets as they were before handover.
Besides, Adelabu also dropped the hint that the Federal Government mobilized a company named Messr Zigglass with $ 200 million (N32 billion) to supply three million meters that were yet to be supplied to date.

“If you held N32billion for these years, where is the interest”, he asked.
According to him, President Ahmed Tinubu has directed that the contract be revoked.

He said the government will bridge the current eight million metering gap in the next four to five years.

The minister noted that the funding is coming from a seed capital of N100billion and N75billion.

He added that the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NISA) is coming to the aid of the ministry with the fund.
He described the power sector crisis as historical, stressing it has defied all solutions.

Adelabu blamed issues in the industry on uncompleted projects, urging the committee to approve funds for the completion of over 120 projects that litter across the country.

He also noted that the frequent grid collapse was due to a lack of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA).
Responding, the committee chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe dismissed him, stressing that the ministry has been complaining about SCADA procurement in the last 12 years without addressing it.

Besides, Senator Danjuma Goje who is a member of the committee and a former Minister of Power, told Adelabu that nothing has changed in the sector.

Senator Lalong who responded to the issue of the company that abandoned a project after collecting $200million since 2021 noted that people must be punished for their crimes to serve as a deterrent to others.

Speaking Senator Osita Izunaso called for the cancellation of the DisCos licenses, stressing “DisCos are the problem.”

The Inspector General of Police, OlukayodeEgbetokun, has revealed a plan by the Federal Government to establish a N100 billion Police Housing Fund.

The IG made the announcement in Abuja on Monday during the launch of the inaugural Nigerian Police Housing Summit.

The summit themed, “Renewed Hope for Police Housing in Nigeria,” was held at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking during the event, the police chief noted that upon his appointment as the IG, he identified the welfare of police personnel as a cornerstone of his administration.

Egbetokun said, “A key aspect of enhancing our officers’ conditions is the provision of appropriate housing during and after their service. This task is monumental, as the Nigerian Police Force currently grapples with a significant housing shortage for its members across all ranks.

“Presently, housing capacity meets only about 10% of the needs of our more than 400,000-strong workforce. Moreover, years of neglect have rendered existing barracks accommodations largely inadequate, failing to meet the demands of modern 21st-century policing.

“In the past, the Nigeria Police Force has launched initiatives aimed at addressing these shortfalls, including the establishment of the Nigerian Police Force Property Development and Construction Co Ltd and forging partnerships with various state governments, government bodies, sister organisations, and private sector developers.”

He, however, noted that, unfortunately, the impact of these efforts has been minimal, while highlighting the urgent need for a strategic reassessment and a revamp of the NPF’s execution framework to adequately meet our officers’ housing needs.

He added, “Today marks the launch of the inaugural Nigerian Police Housing Summit. Under the theme ‘Renewed Hope for Police Housing in Nigeria,’ and supported by sub-themes such as ‘Accessible Housing: An Indispensable Welfare Tool,’ and ‘Pragmatic Solutions for Police Housing,’ this summit is envisioned as a critical platform for discussing and developing strategies to realize our goal of providing accessible and affordable housing to our officers and men.

“This premier event also aims to foster comprehensive solutions for the swift delivery of quality, cost-effective housing solutions—both rental and owned—for our force members, active and retired.”

He further revealed that the objectives of the Nigerian Police Housing Summit 2024 were to articulate a vision of ‘effective and efficient’ housing as an essential tool for the welfare of the Nigeria Police Force’s men and officers, amongst other things.

Egbetokun added, “A critical discussion point will be the establishment of a 100billion Naira Police Housing Fund. Preliminary assessments are underway, and engagements with key players and institutions have begun. The experts and facilitators gathered here today will play a crucial role in refining our strategies and ideas.

“We firmly believe that our men and officers deserve better, and the current state of affairs offers little hope for meeting their housing needs effectively. Today, we take a significant step towards realizing our new vision and expanding opportunities for home ownership among our ranks.”

The IG further expressed his gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, and the Honourable Minister of Housing, Ahmed Dangiwa, “for their leadership in delivering affordable housing to Nigerians through the ‘Renewed Hope Cities’ initiative.”

President Bola Tinubu will on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, depart Abuja for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and afterwards Saudi Arabia on an official visit and World Economic Forum (WEF), respectively.

A statement issued by the special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief AjuriNgelale, on Monday evening, said the official visit was on the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte.

“President Tinubu will engage in high-level discussions with the Prime Minister, as well as hold separate meetings with His Royal Majesty, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Kingdom. The Queen is the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA).

“While in the Netherlands, the President will participate in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum that will bring together heads of conglomerates and organizations in both countries to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, especially in agriculture and water management towards innovative solutions for sustainable farming practices.

“There will also be extensive discussions with the Dutch officials on port management operations for which they have world-renowned expertise,” he stated.

After his engagements in the Netherlands, President Tinubu will proceed to attend a special World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting scheduled for April 28-29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ngelale noted that at the World Economic Forum meeting, which focuses on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development, President Tinubu and his entourage will use the opportunity of the gathering of over 1,000 leaders from business, government, and academia to engage in discussions in furtherance of his Renewed Hope Agenda for the country.

“The President will be accompanied by some ministers and other senior government officials,” he added