Nnamdi Kanu: Detailed Report of What Happened in Court Today and The Implications

Nnamdi Kanu: Detailed Report of What Happened in Court Today and The Implications


John Tsoho, justice of the federal high court, Abuja, on Friday, denied Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and director of Radio Biafra, bail.

The judge ruled that Kanu was a threat to national security, and as a result would not be granted bail.
He held that if released Kanu might commit the same offence again, and that there was a probability that he might jump bail because he possessed dual citizenship.

He therefore ruled that Kanu be remanded in prison custody, and ordered an accelerated hearing of the case.

Tsoho had fixed Friday for ruling on Kanu’s bail application which was argued on Monday.

Arguing for Kanu’s release, Nnoruka Udechukwu, senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), urged the court to release him, stating that the offence he was alleged to have committed was a bailable one.

Udechukwu argued that the Criminal Justice Act, 2015, stipulated bail for anyone not accused of a capital offence.

He said that the offence of which Kanu was accused was a “civil rights” issue, adding that the right to agitate is guaranteed in a democracy.

“The right to agitate is inherent in a democracy. People must not be denied of their rights to protest by way of being kept in custody,” he said.

“If national security was a ground to throw people into detention the Criminal Justice Act would have said so.”
Making his own submission, Mohammed Diri, counsel to the federal government, said he was “seriously opposed to this application.”

He argued that the application did not fulfil certain conditions spelt out in section 162 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

Diri said that Kanu might jump bail if released because according to his statement to the Department of State Services (DSS) he is a British citizen.

“He sneaked into this country. He didn’t enter the country the proper way. He may sneak out,” he said.
“I urge this court to refuse this application and order for accelerated hearing.”

Kanu alongside Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi is facing a six-count charge of treasonable felony.

Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Nnamdi Kanu and other unknown persons now at large in London, United Kingdom, between the year 2014 and September 2015, with intention to levy war against Nigeria in order tto force the president to change his measures of being the president of the federation, head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the federation as defined in section 3 of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) by doing an act wit: Broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored by NBC for your preparations for the states in the southeast geo-political zone, south-south geo-political zone, the Igala community of Kogi and Idoma to secede from the federal republic of Nigeria and form themselves into a republic of Biafra, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 41 (C) of the criminal code act, CAP C38 laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

On December 23, 2015, he had refused to take his plea before Ahmed Mohammed, justice of the federal high court, Abuja, citing lack of confidence in the court.

This was after Adeniyi Ademola, another justice of the federal high court, Abuja, ordered the DSS to release him unconditionally, and after a chief magistrate court discharged and acquitted him of charges of criminal intimidation and management of an unlawful society.

Meanwhile, there was mild drama at the court over legal representation for Kanu.

Kanu had written a letter to the judge, stating that his lawyers were only Chuks Muoma(SAN) and Ifeanyi Ejiofor, excluding Udechukwu, who argued his bail application, and Vincent Obetta, the counsel, who had represented him since the beginning of his trial at the chief magistrate court, Wuse zone 2, Abuja.

In protest, Udechukwu announced that he was standing down, and asked the court to strike out his name as Kanu’s counsel.

But Muoma, in order not to stall the ruling, asked Justice Tsoho to rule on the defendant’s bail application even though Udechukwu, who argued it had pulled out.

The judge thereafter delivered the ruling refusing Kanu bail.

BREAKING! Bomb blast rocks Gombi market

A suicide bomber suspected to be the member of the Boko Haram sect on January 29, Friday, has detonated a suicide vest at a crowded market in Gombi town in Adamawa state.

A security official in Gombi said a teen about 12 years old was suspected of having led the attack.
Daily Trust reports that a vigilante leader confirmed ‎the incident saying that 20 people including the bomber died in the explosion.

‎The military authorities at the 23 Armoured Brigade in Yola was not directly available for comment.

The Northeast Information Officer of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Abdulkadir Ibrahim, told reporters that eight people died while twenty-seven others sustained different degrees of injuries.

An eye witness said that he saw at least eight dead bodies, after the blast that happened at 12:00 GMT (13:00 local time).

Other residents in the area who spoke with newsmen said they saw mutilated bodies as they ran in panic, with traders abandoning their stalls.

Gombi was recaptured from Boko Haram in 2014 and since then, the terrorists have made several failed attempts to recapture the town from the Nigerian army.

Just before 2015 was over, President Muhammadu Buhari announced that he had succeeded in his pledge, claiming that Boko Haram is now “technically defeated”.

However, despite successes, the sect is still far from being eliminated.

PDP has since overcome defeat trauma – Metuh

– Seeks technical assistance to deepen democracy in Nigeria
– He said the party has adequate internal mechanisms to resolve all issues within its fold
– Hon. Mark Field advised the party to ensure that it does not trash its brand in the face of challenges

logo of opposition party, PDP

The national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh says the party has since overcome the initial trauma that accompanied the electoral setback of the 2015 general elections, and is now poised to regain power at the center in 2019.

The PDP spokesman’s view was contained in his opening remark at a meeting of the party’s publicity directorate with some visiting parliamentarians from the United Kingdom, led by Rt. Hon. Mark Field, member of Parliament and Chairman of International Office of the Conservative Party, and Colin Bloom, director of outreach-BCP in Abuja on Friday.

He told the visitors that the PDP faced serious challenges soon after it lost in the elections, culminating in the resignation of its National Chairman, a development that created some challenges within the party, but assured that every issue would be resolved by the party leadership by next week.

In his remark, Rt. Hon. Mark Field advised the party to ensure that it does not trash its brand in the face of challenges. He noted that while it is common for some party members to demand the removal of leaders after electoral defeat, care must be taken not to jeopardize institutional memory in the party.

“Never trash your brand no matter whatever the government of the day is saying about you”, he admonished the PDP.

The interaction was attended by PDP publicity staff, social media operatives of the party and officials of the International Republican Institute (IRI), who facilitated the visit.

Chief Metuh said the recent variance of voices from its members is as a result of the party’s foundation of liberal democracy, which he described as a mark of strength, adding that the party has adequate internal mechanisms to resolve all issues within its fold.

Kaugama threatens Biafrans with Buhari’s huge defence budget to be deployed against them

Hon Kaugama says the huge budget put into defence by Buhari was positive

The lawmaker says Biafra agitators have laid down their arms

He says the country was already putting an end to insurgency

Honorable Rabiu Garba Kaugama has said that the huge budget allocated to defence by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is already paying dividend as Biafra agitators have laid down their arms to support the president.

In an interview with Leadership, the lawmaker representing Madori Kaugama federal constituency of Jigawa state in the National Assembly said members of the Peoples Democratic Party have no right to criticize President Buhari especially concerning the budget as the party has nothing to show for the 16 years it spent in power.

Honorable Rabiu Garba Kaugama

He said: “I think it is not good for anybody that belongs to PDP to come out and be criticising President Buhari. This is somebody who has just spent only


six months in office as president and people are seeing his good impact to the society in terms of development. This is in contrast with PDP which ruled for over 16 years in this country without anything to show for their stewardship. PDP nearly destroyed Nigeria to the level that it is only somebody like President Buhari that can correct all these abnormalities. Some people are saying that they don’t see anything good in 2016 budget, saying that it is not a budget of hope, still criticising Buhari, let them come out and cite any good project of the previous administration.”

The lawmaker said the money put into the issue of defence and security was to make the country safe especially with the different interest groups springing up in the country.

“Security is the main problem Nigeria is facing as at today. Looking at how much the past administration spent on security during Jonathan’s regime, nothing was achieved because Boko Haram defeated our Nigerian Army because they didn’t have the sophisticated weapon to deal with the terrorists but as at today, the reverse is the case. Our Army has recorded a tremendous success in the fight against insurgency in the North East.

“So Mr President did not put money in Defence for nothing but to protect lives and properties of Nigerians. Look at the Boko Haram in the North East; the militants in the Niger Delta and the Biafara agitators in the South east, all these are security challenges facing Mr President and he has to control it so that Nigeria will not disintegrate. As at today, all these crisis have been controlled, no more Boko Haram, the Biafara agitators have laid down their arms and have started supporting President Buhari; even the militants in the Niger Delta have come out to support Buhari to check mate the oil pipelines vandalisation in their region. All these are being done with money and on the issue of State House, Buhari that I know will not take any money that he cannot account for. Nobody knows the condition of the State House, what he needs to run the place. We all understand and heard how former president, Jonathan messed up the place so Buhari needs money to bring up the State House to international standard. I still urge Nigerians to have faith in President Buhari because I am sure that he is going to repair what the past PDP administration has destroyed.”

Biafra makes shocking revelation about late Obi of Ubulu-uku

A top Biafran intelligence officer, operating in the Delta state area, who called himself “Holy-eyes” disclosed that late Obi of Ubulu-uku, Akaeze Edward Ofolue had long completed his assignment for Biafra restoration struggle before he was killed.


– Holy-eyes alleged that Nigerian government was very late in killing the Obi of Ubulu-uku, Akaeze Edward Ofoluehim. 

– Obi of Ubulu-uku, Akaeze Edward Ofoluehim was among leaders of the delegation that pushed the Biafran issue to the front at the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament and the European Union (EU) government.

A pro-Biafra agitator has made a shocking revelation about the late Obi of Ubulu-uku, Akaeze Edward Ofolue, who was allegedly murdered by Nigerian agents camouflaged as cattle herdsman.

A top Biafran intelligence officer, operating in the Delta state area, who called himself “Holy-eyes” in a chat with The Biafra Times, disclosed that Obi of Ubulu-uku had long completed his assignment for Biafra restoration struggle before he was killed.

Holy-eyes further revealed that the Ubulu-uku monarch was successful in his work for Biafra, having long submitted his report to the Biafra Restoration Committee set up by IPOB more than a year ago before the Nigerian government cut his life short.

“Nigerian government was very late in the day in killing him. If they had killed him a year ago, it would have somehow affected the struggle negatively. But they were as clumsy as ever, and the man was able to evade and outsmart them at every turn on the assignment, until it was completed,” Holy-eyes said.

The Biafra top officer alleged that Nigerian government “killed a man who was already in retirement as long as the work for Biafra restoration is concerned.”

Recall that the monarch was abducted by suspected herdsmen in the evening of January 5, 2016 along Obior/Igbodo road while he was riding in his Land Cruiser Jeep with a young Christian aide. He was a lawyer, a businessman, and a strong Christian with the Deeper Life Bible ministries.

Holy-eyes said Ofolue was passionate about Biafra and its restoration efforts. He was also a strong believer in education and freedom for anyone and people that desired it.

The late monarch, who is also known as Agbogidi, Ofolue is being mourned by IPOB because he was among the hardcore Biafrans of his time. He was among leaders of the delegation that pushed the Biafran issue to the front at the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament and the European Union (EU) government.

Agbogidi Akaeze Ofulue on his red attire while speaking with some titled men in front of his palace before his death.

He said following the leakage of the above information, Obi Ofolue told the Biafran leadership how Nigerian security agents have been on his trail under different kinds of disguises.

Holy-eyes also disclosed that part of the work Ofolue did for IPOB was arranging the worldwide demonstrations, which the blue-print was submitted more than a year ago.

“You see our worldwide demonstrations? That was part of the work his committee did. You see how smooth and effective the protests have been, then you will know that our brother was a genius,” Holy-eyes said.
The Biafra top officer stated that the struggle took an international dimension that the even the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari and his officials were scared-stiff that Nigeria might break-up under his watch.


Holy-eyes said IPOB leadership recently accused Buhari of plot to eliminate prominent leaders of the Biafran struggle. Holy-eyes said with the murder of Ofolue, he became the first prominent victim of Buhari’s alleged plot.

According to the top officer, since Ofolue’s body was discovered last January 20, Biafrans have been in mourning, especially leaders and members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who knew his worth and saw it as a big blow to the Biafran struggle.

“His death is very painful to all of us as a compatriot and a brother. We love him and would have loved him to be around when Biafran is finally restored. But we console ourselves with the fact that he did a marvelous work for us. He was a dutiful, dedicated and clinical worker. We miss him greatly,” he said.

Meanwhile, the hope of the Biafra agitators might have been dashed following a recent comment from the United States and United Kingdom who denied recognition of Biafran passport, on the ground that the supposed independent country is not recognised.

BUHARI MAKES U-TURN, SAYS MILITANCY CAUSED BY NON CLEAN UP OF OGONILAND

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, in Nairobi, Kenya, said that non-clean up of oil spillages in the Niger Delta especially in Ogoniland, was responsible for the militancy the region witnessed in times past.
The president consequently vowed to clean up the land by implementing the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP’s recommendations to save the land.

President Buhari made the promise during a visit to the United Nations Office in the Kenyan capital.

Ogoni land and President Buhari

He also appealed for more support from the United Nations in the clean up of the region.
He said: “When I came into office on May 29, 2015, one of the first tasks I carried out was to authorise the implementation of the recommendations of the UNEP report for the clean-up of Ogoniland.

“The devastation caused by oil spillage has destroyed many lives and livelihoods and is clearly one of the reasons many people in that region lost faith in government and resorted to the many criminal activities we are seeing in the region today.

“The action our government took to implement UNEP’s recommendations has given the indigenes of the region hope that there are better days ahead. Let me, therefore, express appreciation on behalf of the Government of Nigeria to UNEP and other development partners for their cooperation and support on this very delicate matter and also request for their continued support as we implement the recommendations and transform the fortunes of the region.”

President  Buhari also applauded the outcome of the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC,  held in Paris, France, in December last year.

He  called for rapid urbanization as the world population increases.

Kanu writes open letter to EU From the Prison

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was invited to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg on February 3, Wednesday.

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the director of the Radio Biafra Nnamdi Kanu, who was arrested in the mid of October last year, writes an open letter to European Parliament. Kanu asks the global community for fair assessment of Buhari and justice in his case.

Founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu during his appearance on treasonable charges at the Federal High Court Abuja. Photo: The Punch

I am that Biafran locked up in DSS custody for 98 days without trial

Firstly, I wish to thank this honorable parliament, representatives of member nations and all her leaders. On the defense of rule of law and human right this parliament thrived. The making of a better world where mankind shall be free, easy life and prosperous world had been the banner of this parliament and never shall diplomacy or any form of tie cause a deviation or severe the cause of this great parliament.

I am a Biafran, I am that Biafran locked up in Buhari’s DSS dungeon for 98 days without trial, given inhuman treatments, tortured and abused. I am that Biafran competent courts of jurisdiction freed but Buhari by his powers held me illegally. I am that Biafran that left his wife suffers the pains of child birth alone. I am that Biafran his newly delivered wife is still having emotional trauma and mental torture of losing her husband to time or death.

I am that Biafran that never killed a man or man killed for me

I am that Biafran this parliament gave right to agitate for freedom, UN charter told to demand for freedom, Nigerian constitution also told to agitate for Biafra, when I did what the law said I should do, I was thrown into the prison without asking me what I want or how my want can be addressed. I am that Biafran that never killed a man or man killed for me, that Biafran that only stood a radio station as a weapon to fight for freedom, that Biafran that cherished freedom of speech, that Biafran that is persecuted because of truth. I am Nnamdi Kanu that Biafran Nigerian government under Buhari unlawfully oppressed.

I am that Biafran his 7 years old child was shot to death in Aba, that Biafran his brothers and sisters were massacred in Onitsha. I am that Biafran his people were again massacred in Aba, that Biafran his people are being kidnapped, extra-judiciary killed and illegally imprisoned by Buhari. I am that Biafran who Buhari illegally ordered soldiers of Gowon to invade my land and slaughter my children, sisters, brothers, fathers and mothers in their millions in 1967. I am that Biafran his people are being marginalized, subjugated and enslaved just because they fought a war and lost, instead of healing and forgiving us, they chose to keep punishing us.

Biafrans are losing their lives for lawfully asking a legal course

Before Buhari addresses this honorable parliament, let him be assessed and subjected to scrutiny, that he may not infect this honorable parliament with dishonor, lawlessness and primitive tendencies. Under his words, over 1000 innocent men and women lost their lives because of his political ambition in 2011 and today more Biafrans are losing their lives for lawfully asking a legal course.

This parliament having warned of human right abuses by Nigeria, Buhari has gone on without discretion in handling of call for Biafran independence which fully contradicts the ethics of this honorable parliament, hence I call for a discrete advise or compel him to respect human life and do the needful- referendum for Biafra and release his prisoner of conscience or a political prison without odds or record of unlawful act.

We are Biafrans condemned by Nigerian government

The treatment of Kanu represents how Biafrans are treated in Nigeria, we are Biafrans, condemned by Nigerian government and deprived of right to live, speech, belong, freedom and thrive. Even-though our land feed the country, our land is marginalized as diseases, contaminated land, bad roads, lack of infrastructure and social amenities bedevil us as virtually removed from federation. This federal absence left our land in decay that we today seek freedom to have a nation to call a home and enjoy human right which gives meaning to life. Thanks, yours faithfully, Nnamdi Kanu in Ifeanyi Chijioke of Family Writers.