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Court Grants Nnamdi Kanu Bail … 44 IPOB Members Set Free In Yenagoa
A Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, granted bail to the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on health grounds.
Justice Nyako, however, barred the IPOB leader from granting press interviews while on bail.
The judge also gave a stern warning to the defendant not to participate in any rally or be found in a crowd of more than 10 persons in the course of the bail.
She, however, refused the separate bail applications filed by the IPOB leader’s co-defendants.
The accused persons charged along with Kanu, and who were denied bail by the judge, were the National Coordinator of IPOB, Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe; an IPOB member, Benjamin Madubugwu, and a former Field Maintenance Engineer seconded to the MTN, David Nwawuisi.
The court also in a separate ruling rejected the application by Kanu and two of the co-defendants seeking the setting aside of the court’s earlier order granting protection to prosecution witnesses to enable them to testify behind a screen or in mask as well as using pseudonyms to refer to them during proceedings.
Kanu, who had been in detention since 2015, was granted bail, yesterday, following the application filed by his lawyer after part of the charges filed against them were struck out by the court.
Justice Nyako noted that she had observed that Kanu was always having to sit down in the dock whenever he appeared in court, a development which she said, could be an indication that he could be suffering from an ailment that could not be treated in prison.
She, therefore, granted bail in the sum of N100million with three sureties in like sum.
The judge ordered that one of the sureties to be provided by the defendant must be a highly placed person such as a senator.
She directed that the other must be a highly recognised leader in the religion being practised by Kanu.
When asked by the judge in the course of reading the ruling, Kanu said he was practising Judaism.
The third surety, according to the judge, must be a resident of Abuja and who must have a landed property in the Federal Capital Territory.
The court fixed July 11 and 12 for commencement of trial.
Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, were at the Federal High Court in Abuja in solidarity with Kanu, yesterday.
Fayose was already seated in the courtroom for over 30 minutes before Kanu and his co-accused were produced in court by prison officials at about 10.05am.
Meanwhile, a Magistrate Court sitting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, yesterday, freed 44 detained members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), declaring a no-case submission on the three count charges of conspiracy, breach of public peace and unlawful gathering filed against them by the police.
The Magistrate Court, presided over by Penawei Mukoro, before striking out case, said that the prosecution was unable to establish a prima-facie case against them.
The detained members of the IPOB were arrested sometime in October, 2016, while meeting at a popular large lounge/bar at the Okaka suburb of Yenagoa by men of the Joint Task Force code named Operation Delta Safe and handed over to the Police for prosecution.
Counsel to the arrested IPOB members, had argued before the court a no case submission, describing the arrest and trial of the IPOB members as a deliberate attempt to intimidate and violate the fundamental rights of people to freedom of gathering.
Nwosu said the prosecution, the Nigerian Police, have failed to produce a credible witness to substantiate the three count charges against the IPOB members.
He said, “It is a case where there is serious intimidation. And the prosecution could not produce credible witness.”
Delivering ruling, yesterday, on the case, the Presiding Magistrate, Magistrate Penawei Mukoro, struck out the case on no case submission and discharge and acquit the accused IPOB members.
Mukoro, in her ruling, held that all the accused persons have no case to answer as the prosecution was unable to make out a prima-facie case against them.
Meanwhile, several pro-Biafra supporters went into jubilation after they heard that Kanu was admitted to bail. They sang, danced and engaged in a mini-procession, while chanting different Biafra war songs.
Most of them waved the Biafran flag, others brandished various insignia from the defunct Republic, while a small group of men and women dressed in Jewish apparels kept muttering what seemed to be a prayer in the way believers in Judaism do.
In Imo State, yesterday, the ever busy MCC/Uratta Road and other communities in Imo State, were taken over by scores of IPOB loyalists, who were celebrating Nnamdi Kanu’s bail. The spontaneous jubilation, drew a large crowd of ardent supporters of the Biafran sovereignty in Imo.
They carried various Biafran insignia, including flags, caps, shirts and banners, as they sang victory songs and danced happily on the streets.
Some other jubilant loyalists in Owerri, were seen distributing free drinks in some of the joints our correspondent visited before going to press. One of the demonstrators, Chike, who spoke to our correspondent as they celebrated, said: “we are celebrating the release of one of our own, who has been incarcerated for several months.
I am only praying that the bail granted him this time, won’t be treated like the previous ones, especially as the present Federal Government hates the rule of law with passion.”
Speaking also, a woman who simply identified herself as Mrs. Sylvia said they were not particularly concerned with the bail conditions, even as she described them as “stringent and draconian.”
“I am a mother. I know how it feels to have a loved one locked up endlessly by traducers. I do not know why the High Court Judge does not want Nnamdi Kanu to be seen among more than 10 persons or talk to the press about his experience in captivity”, Mrs. Sylvia said.
In Port-Harcourt, hundreds of pro Biafrans shutdown the Obigbo end of Port Harcourt-Aba Road as they celebrated news of the bail granted Nnamdi Kanu.
Passengers heading to Aba in Abia State on that road were stranded as most of them had to come down from their vehicles, trekking some distance to board vehicles that had already passed the huge traffic snarl created by the jubilant pro Biafrans.
It was also a tough time for police men from the Obigbo Police station drafted to control the traffic.
Meantime, the pro Biafrans danced,singing solidarity songs. Some who spoke to newsmen expressed hope that the concept of a Biafra nation would come to be.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it has now received a total of 129 applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.
The update was provided during the commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, yesterday.
According to a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, seven new applications were submitted within the past week, adding to the previous number.
“At its regular weekly meeting held today, Thursday 10th July 2025, the commission received a further update on additional requests from associations seeking registration as political parties.
“Since last week, seven more applications have been received, bringing the total number so far to 129. All the requests are being processed,” the commission stated.
The commission revealed the introduction of a new digital platform for political party registration. The platform is part of the Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System and aims to streamline the registration process.
Olumekun disclosed that final testing of the portal would be completed within the next week.
“INEC also plans to release comprehensive guidelines to help associations file their applications using the new system.
“Unlike the manual method used in previous registration, the Commission is introducing a political party registration portal, which is a module in our Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System.
“This will make the process faster and seamless. In the next week, the commission will conclude the final testing of the portal before deployment.
“Thereafter, the next step for associations that meet the requirements to proceed to the application stage will be announced. The commission will also issue guidelines to facilitate the filing of applications using the PFRAS,” the statement added.
In the meantime, the list of new associations that have submitted applications has been made available to the public on INEC’s website and other official platforms.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.