Headlines
Kanu’s Lawyer Laments Denial to See Client, Calls for Contempt Charge Against DSS Boss
Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead counsel for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on Monday gave an insight on how the Department of State Services denied him and other lawyers access to their client twice.
According to him, the DSS on February 17 and 21 turned back the lawyers on the excuse that officials meant to receive them were not around.
Kanu is facing trial before Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged treason.
Ejiofor, in a statement titled, ‘Update on our aborted routine visit to our client by the Department of State Services’, described the action of the secret police as appalling and disobedience to a court order.
He said, “Consistent with our routine, we were at the DSS headquarters today (Monday), to observe the court-ordered visit to our dear client, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. But, for the second time after the last court sitting, we were bluntly denied access to our client by the personnel of the DSS.
“This development is appalling and condemnable, because there was no plausible reason(s) proffered for this violent affront to a court order.”
Ejiofor recalled that the order made by Justice Nyako about routine visits to Kanu was unequivocal and clear that such visits should be conducted on Mondays and Thursdays between the hours of 2pm and 4pm
He said, “During our visit to Onyendu last week Thursday, being February 17, 2022, in observance of this court sanctioned visit, the personnel of the DSS turned us back, insisting that the officials assigned to receive us were not available.
“The same flimsy reason was given today, February 21 2022, for denying us access to Onyendu in deliberate and flagrant disobedience to court orders.”
Ejiofor, however, called on the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court to endorse the contempt charges filed against the DSS, saying failure to do so meant the court was taking sides with the DSS.
He said, “With the foregoing, if the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, fails and/or refuses to endorse the relevant contempt forms filed against the Director-General of the DSS for the gross disobedience to positive orders of court, as he has done in the past, then, it will become obvious to the world that the Registrar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, is actively protecting the contemnors.
“Orders of court must be obeyed to the letter and must not only be respected, but must be treated with sanctity. Sadly, this has become a joke taken too far!
“We, therefore, wish to use this medium to place the world on notice that the DSS should be held responsible should anything untoward happen to our client, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, during this period they are hoarding him from us.
“We shall continue to keep the world abreast of every unfolding event as the DSS continues to thread on this ignominious path.”
The Punch
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
