News

Biafra: Kanu Knows Fate, Feb 10

Published

9 years ago

January 13, 2017

The Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed February 10 to rule on whether or not it will dismiss the treason charges preferred against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The court would also rule on whether or not to quash the charges preferred against three other defendants, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, who were charged along with Kanu.
Similarly, the court would give a ruling on an application bordering on the competence of the charge against Kanu, the first defendant.
The four defendants are standing trial for alleged treasonable felony and terrorism.
At the resumed hearing, yesterday, Kanu’s Counsel, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, argued that his client’s application challenging the charge against him was based on the fact that there was no case against him.
“Our application was premised on the fact that the proof of evidence attached to the charge cannot sustain the charge because it did not disclose a prima facie case against Kanu.”
According to him, the proof of evidence is empty, baseless and unfounded and in that circumstance, the court is required to quash the charge and discharge and acquit the person involved.
“He is being accused of committing an offence of treasonable felony and also conspiracy to commit treasonable felony, the law requires that ingredients of the said treasonable felony should be established.
“But the defendant was not found with any arms, was not caught with anybody holding a meeting, never said he was coming to overthrow the president of the country.
“They are merely exercising their right to self-determination which is clearly provided under article 20 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights and also under article 1 and 55 of the United Nations Charter.’’
He said these were constitutional rights and could not translate to a case of treasonable felony.
Counsel to the 2nd to 4th defendants, Mr Inalegwu Adoga, Mr E.I Esene and Mr Maxwell Okpara, all made similar arguments.
They all held that the proof of evidence attached to their clients’ charge did not establish a prima facie case against them and should be quashed.
Adoga, in his argument, said that his client was arrested for his intentions and not because of an overt act, adding that the prosecution’s case against his client was based on mere sentiments.
On his part, Okpara added that his client was only brought into the matter in order to convict the first defendant.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Shuiabu Labaran, opposed the applications on the grounds that they had no substance.
The judge, Justice Binta Nyako, adjourned till Feb. 10 to rule on the applications.
Nyako had said on Tuesday that the ruling on the applications would determine whether the case would be terminated or continued.
Mr Osaro Odemwingie, a representative of the British High Commission, was in court to witness the proceedings, while placard carrying IPOB members were outside the court complex singing and dancing.
Meanwhile, an Abuja Federal High Court, yesterday, suspended the secret trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), till further notice, even as both IPOB and the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) have disagreed on tactics and strategy for achieving their desired goal.
Justice Binta Nyako announced the suspension of the trial, yesterday, following a prima facie suit filed by Nnamdi Kanu’s counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor challenging the veracity of the charges levelled against them.
Shortly after his introduction, Ejiofor argued that the charges against the defendants lack merit and basic proof.
According to Ejiofor, “Nnamdi Kanu (the first defendant) is only exercising his right to self-determination.”
He contended that the defendants started their agitations before Muhammadu Buhari emerged as President; hence do not pose any threat to the Federal Government.
After listening to his argument, Nyako suspended the trial till further notice.
Kanu alongside Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, are currently facing trial before the Justice Nyako–led court for charges bordering on treasonable felony.
However, the leadership of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has come hard on the leader of Biafra Independent Movement (BIM), Chief Raph Lebeanya Uwazurike to prove how their leader, Nnamdi Kanu and other leaders of IPOB are frauds and have been deceiving Biafrans and the world as he has alleged.
To show that they are serious about the spurious allegation, the organisation has given Uwazurike four days to recant his allegation or they will expose his evil deeds that led to his expulsion from MASSOB so that the world will know who is deceiving the Biafrans and the world.
A statement signed by the Deputy Leader of the organisation, Mazi Uche Mefor, and image makers, Barr. Emma Mmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya, respectively, gave Uwazurike four days to expose IPOB leadership or they will open cans of worms capable of drowning the BIM for life in Nigeria, Biafra and the entire world.
The organisation, in the statement, said that if Uwazurike had been committed to the restoration of Biafra as he made people believe, there wouldn’t have been need for the formation of other pro-Biafra liberation movements like IPOB, BZM and even his BIM.

News

FG Ends Passport Production At Multiple Centres After 62 Years

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.

He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.

“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.

“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.

“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.

“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.

He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.

Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.

He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.

News

FAAC Disburses N2.225trn For August, Highest In Nigeria

Published

6 hours ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.

This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.

The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.

Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.

The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.

From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.

From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.

Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.

From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.

News

KenPoly Governing Council Decries Inadequate Power Supply, Poor Infrastructure On Campus

Published

7 hours ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.

The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.

The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the Polytechnic, recently.

Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.

He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.

This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly, Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.

The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.

Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.

He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.

The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.

Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.

Chinedu Wosu