Headlines
German Police Claim to Identify Ekweremadu’s Attackers, as IPOB Remain Adamant
Four of the members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra who attacked a former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in Nuremberg, Germany, have been identified by the Bavaria police.
Ekweremadu, a serving senator from Enugu State, was beaten up by some members of IPOB in Nuremberg on Saturday at an event organised by the “Ndigbo Germany.”
Nuremberg is the second largest city after Munich in the State of Bavaria.
The Nigerian embassy has mounted pressure on the German federal authorities to bring the attackers to justice following the initial reluctance of the state police to investigate the assault which was captured on video.
According to an online medium, Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Tuggar, reminded the federal authorities on their responsibility to foreign government dignitaries visiting the country.
Under section 102 (1), chapter 3, of the German criminal code, attacks against organs and representatives of foreign states are punishable with fines and imprisonment.
It states, “(1) Whosoever commits an attack against the life or limb of a foreign head of state, member of a foreign government, the head of a foreign diplomatic mission who is accredited in the federal territory while the victim is in Germany in his official capacity shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding five years or a fine, in especially serious cases to imprisonment of not less than one year.
“(2) In addition to a sentence of imprisonment of at least six months, the court may order the loss of the ability to hold public office to vote and be elected in public elections (section 45(2) and (5).”
This is aside the civil case that can be instituted by the victim.
The Cable reported that an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja said that the Bavaria State police had analysed the attack videos and identified four of the suspected attackers.
“I cannot reveal their identities for now because the German authorities are now cooperating with us and investigating the attack,” the official said.
However, IPOB on Thursday insisted that the attack on the senator was well deserved.
In a statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group accused Ekweremadu of being self-centered.
It said Ekweremadu, being the longest serving senator in the South-East geopolitical zone, had not promoted any legislative advocacy for the good of the area.
The statement read in part, “Enugu, his home state, is besieged on all fronts by Fulani militants. Men, women and children, even priests are being slaughtered on a daily basis. We are yet to hear our distinguished senator speak with clarity on the matter.
“We do not expect Ekweremadu to change Nigeria, but we expect him to voice out our anger and frustration in the enemy Senate.
“Those who are blaming IPOB Germany for manhandling Ekweremadu are poor students of history.
“You do not persuade an angry people with patriotic rhetoric. Leaders, who cannot gauge the anger and fury in their land, must be truly blind and not qualified to represent them.”
However, the Igbo Youth Assembly Worldwide has described the attack on Ekweremadu as a wake-up call on Igbo leaders of thought to do the right thing.
The group said this in a statement jointly signed by its President-General, Mazi Ifeanyi Nwaudunna, and the Secretary-General, Mr Casmir Irekamba, in Abuja on Thursday.
The organisation, however, condemned the attack.
“We condemned all these illegal and disordered activities of IPOB as misguided and a play by the enemies of Ndi Igbo to paralyse economic activities of Ndi-Igbo and Nigeria.
“We also express deep concerns over numerous cheap blackmail and name-calling against certain individuals and ethnic groups and President Muhammadu Buhari,” it stated.
The Punch
United States Representative Riley Moors has said further military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria could follow recent operations ordered by President Donald Trump, describing the actions as aimed at improving security and protecting Christian communities facing violence.
Moore made the remarks during a televised interview in which he addressed U.S. military strikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant targets in North-west Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death,” Moore said.
He said the Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State affiliates had provided hope to Christians in Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by repeated attacks during past festive periods.
According to U.S. authorities, the strikes targeted camps used by Islamic State-linked groups operating in parts of north-west Nigeria.
Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The United States Africa Command said the operation was intended to degrade the operational capacity of extremist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and security forces.
Nigerian authorities have described the targeted groups as a threat to national security, noting their involvement in killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Moore said the strikes marked a shift from previous years in which attacks were carried out against civilians during the Christmas period. He said the U.S. administration was focused on preventing further violence by targeting militant groups before they could launch attacks.
U.S. officials have said the military action was carried out with the consent of the Nigerian government and formed part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria has received intelligence, training and logistical support from international partners as it seeks to contain militant activity.
Moore had previously called for stronger international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and has urged continued U.S. engagement in addressing extremist violence. He said further action would depend on developments on the ground and continued coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have maintained that counter-terrorism operations are directed at armed groups threatening civilians, regardless of religion, and have reiterated their commitment to restoring security across affected regions.
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned that any attempt to hurriedly re‑gazette Nigeria’s new tax laws could undermine parliamentary oversight and set a dangerous constitutional precedent.
Atiku’s warning follows public scrutiny over reports that the Tax Reform Acts signed by President Bola Tinubu differ from the versions passed by the National Assembly. Lawmakers, including Abdussamad Dasuki, raised concerns that the alterations could pose serious legal and constitutional risks, noting that they were not backed by any constitutional framework.
In a statement on X, Atiku said the directive to re-gazette the Acts effectively confirms “that the gazetted version of the Tinubu Tax Act does not reflect what was duly passed by the National Assembly,” calling it “a grave constitutional issue.”
He emphasized that under Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution, a bill only becomes law after passage by both chambers, presidential assent, and gazetting.
“Gazetting is merely an administrative act of publication. It does not create, amend, or validate a law,” Atiku said, adding that any post-passage insertion, deletion, or modification without legislative approval constitutes forgery rather than a clerical error.
Atiku further warned that rushing a re-gazetting while legislative investigations are ongoing “undermines parliamentary oversight and sets a dangerous precedent,” stressing that the only lawful approach is “fresh legislative consideration, re-passage by both chambers, fresh presidential assent, and proper gazetting.”
The former vice president clarified that his position is not opposition to tax reform but a defence of constitutional order.
“This is a defence of the integrity of the legislative process and a rejection of any attempt to normalise constitutional breaches through procedural shortcuts,” he said.
The Federal government has denied wrongdoing, insisting the laws will take effect as scheduled on January 1, 2026, while the National Assembly has directed the issuance of Certified True Copies of the Acts to ensure clarity and accuracy.
