Headlines
Freedom: Nnamdi Kanu Agrees to Abide by FG’s Terms and Conditions
Incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Nnamdi Kanu, has agreed to abide by any condition the Federal government would give for his release from custody.
Leading South East senators to a meeting with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi on Wednesday to demand Kanu’s release, the Senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, said that he had already met with the IPoB leader at the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Abaribe, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said he is optimistic that the AGF would persuade the government to show compassion, and order Kanu’s release.
He argued that the continued detention of the IPoB leader is responsible for the rising level of insecurity and agitations in the South East region.
According to him, unless Kanu is released, social and economic activities within the region would remain stagnant.
The meeting between the lawmakers and the AGF came barely one day after the governors from the South East region resolved to approach President Bola Tinubu to beg for Kanu’s freedom.
Earlier, about 50 members of the House of Representatives from various parts of the country had urged President Tinubu to free the detained IPoB leader.
The representatives, who identified themselves as “Concerned Federal Lawmakers for Peace and Security in the South East”, urged President Tinubu to direct the AGF to invoke Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to terminate the terrorism-related charge that is pending against Kanu before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
Kanu was first arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015 upon his return to the country from the United Kingdom.
On April 25, 2017, Justice Binta Nyako granted him bail on health ground, after he had spent about 18 months in custody.
Upon the perfection of the bail conditions, he was on April 28, 2017, he released from the Kuje prison.
However, midway into the trial, the IPoB leader escaped from the country after soldiers invaded his country home at Afara Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, an operation that led to the death of some of his followers.
Abaribe, who initially stood as his surety, alongside two others, subsequently applied to the court to be allowed to withdraw from the case.
Not satisfied with Abaribe’s claim that he was not aware of the whereabouts of the defendant, the trial court ordered him to forfeit the N100 million he deposited as bond to secure Kanu’s bail.
Meanwhile, Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021 and extraordinarily renditioned back to the country by security agents on June 27, 2021.
Following the development, the trial court, on June 29, 2021, remanded him in custody of DSS, where he has remained till date.
On April 8, 2022, the court struck out eight out of the 15-count charge that Federal government preferred against him, on the premise that they lacked substance.
On October 13, 2022, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal ordered Kanu’s immediate release from detention, and quashed the charge against him.
Dissatisfied with the decision, the Federal government took the matter before the Supreme Court, and persuaded the appellate court to suspend the execution of the judgment, pending the determination of its appeal.
While deciding the appeal last December 15, the Supreme Court vacated the judgment of the appellate court, and gave the Federal government the nod to try the IPoB leader on the subsisting seven-count charge.
Headlines
‘Hands off’: Millions of People Join Protests Against Trump and Elon Musk Across All US States
Millions of people took part in protests against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk across all 50 states and globally on Saturday, organized by a pro-democracy movement over “hostile takeover” and attack on American rights and freedoms.
According to CNN, over 1,400 “Hands Off!” mass-action protests were held at state capitols, federal buildings, congressional offices, Social Security’s headquarters, parks and city halls throughout the entire country – anywhere “we can make sure they hear us,” organizers said.
“Hands Off!” demands “an end to this billionaire power grab.”
“Whether you are mobilized by the attacks on our democracy, the slashing of jobs, the invasion of privacy, or the assault on our services – this moment is for you,” the event flyers state. “We are setting out to build a massive, visible, national rejection of this crisis.”
Nearly 600,000 people had signed up to attend the events, some of which took place in major cities like London and Paris, according to Indivisible, one of the organizations leading the movement in collaboration with a nationwide coalition that includes civil rights organizations, veterans, women’s rights groups, labor unions and LGBTQ+ advocates.
Organizers say they have three demands: “an end to the billionaire takeover and rampant corruption of the Trump administration; an end to slashing federal funds for Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs working people rely on; and an end to the attacks on immigrants, trans people, and other communities.”
Commissioner of Police, CP Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, acting on the orders of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, through the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Department (FID) Abuja, has extended an invitation to the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, for an “investigative meeting with regards to an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within your domain”.
The said incident is in connection with the violence that broke out during the recent Eid-el-Fitr procession in Kano, which resulted in the death of a local vigilante member.
The incident happened as the Emir’s entourage moved from the Eid prayer ground to the palace in a traditional procession. The clash, which marred the otherwise peaceful celebration, led to the tragic loss of life of a vigilante member, Surajo Rabiu, and left one other injured.
The invitation was conveyed in an official letter dated April 4, 2025, and signed by Commissioner of Police, CP Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Department (FID) Abuja.
The letter reads: “I have the directives of the Inspector General of Police, through the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID), to invite you for an investigative meeting with regards to an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within your domain.”
The Emir has been requested to appear before the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja, opposite the Police Headquarters, Area 11, by 10:00am on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
This development comes amid heightened tensions in Kano State following the earlier decision by the State Police Command to ban the annual Durbar festival due to security concerns. The ban, announced days before the Eid-el-Fitr celebration, was intended to prevent any possible breakdown of law and order during the festive period.
However, despite the suspension of the Durbar, a motorcade procession of Emir Sanusi II still took place on the third day of the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.
The Kano State Police Commissioner, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, had also inaugurated an eight-member Special Investigation Panel (SIP) to investigate the violence.
As at the time of this report, there has been no official response from the Emir Sanusi II’s palace regarding the Police invitation.
Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has resigned his appointment.
Reports say the former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.
Further reports quoting presidency sources did not, however, provide details of the reasons for his decision, but only stated that it was on personal grounds.
Baba-Ahmed was appointed in September 2023 as Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Over the past 17 months, he had represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from January 28 and 29, 2025 in Abuja.
