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  • Call for Kanu’s release: Deputy Speaker commends Aguocha, 49 Reps for queuing behind him

    Call for Kanu’s release: Deputy Speaker commends Aguocha, 49 Reps for queuing behind him

     

    Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has welcomed the recent call by about 50 members of the House of Representatives led by Hon. Obi Aguocha to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Mazi Kalu Nnamdi.

    It will be recalled that the lawmakers reportedly led by the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia South and North Federal Constituency of Abia on Monday wrote an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, appealing for the release of Kanu by invoking section 174 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) and section 107(1) of administration of criminal justice Act, 2015.

    In a statement on Tuesday, Kalu applauded the lawmakers spread across the 6 geopolitical zones of the country and the political parties for throwing their weight behind him on the appeals for Kanu’s freedom.

    According to the deputy speaker, there are expectations that the south east caucus will also arise in unison soon to support the effort.

    Recalling the impact of Peace in South East Project (PISE-P), a social advocacy group he founded that promotes the idea of a non kinetic approach in resolving the security challenges and other sociological issues in the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, Kalu said that the release of the IPoB leader was very crucial to the restoration of peace in the zone.

    He said that a milestone has been recorded in his private engagements with the authorities on achieving a political solution in Kanu’s case.

    The deputy speaker recalled that Hon. Aguocha accompanied him in one of those engagements with the decision makers in the country on the issue.

    Kalu however stated clearly that such high profile security issues are not products of advertisement in the media hence the need to keep them confidential in order not to jeopardize the gains so far made.

    The deputy speaker who also revealed that he has met with Kanu a couple of times in the Department of State Service (DSS) detention facility said that hopes are high that the IPoB leader will soon regain his freedom.

    In last visit two weeks before the court appearance, Kalu had discussed and obtained a firm assurance on the side of the IPoB leader on the need for sustainable peace in the region.

    Notedly, that agreement has since been communicated to the delight of the authorities and Kanu’s younger brother as his family representative.

    While thanking the lawmakers for their support, Kalu who also represents Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State appealed to Ndi Igbo to remain calm and hopeful and avoid provocative comments on this issue in the light of the truism that the government of the day cannot be compelled either covertly or overtly.

    He stressed that with diplomacy, a solution will be finalised.

    Kalu also warned against making merchandise of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration for selfish economic gain which runs at variance with his wish, emphasizing that the IPoB leader should not be used as a political tool for any political capital.

    He urged all those genuinely supporting the advocacy for his freedom to go about it dispassionately with the face of humanity and for not personal interest so that the work quietly done on it so far will not be a waste.

    The deputy speaker re-emphasised that the present APC administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has prioritized the South East for a facelift, assuring the people that the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill which has been transmitted to the president for his assent is one of the obvious ways of rebuilding the region severely ravaged by the civil war.

    “I want to sincerely express my profound appreciation to my colleagues from all parts of country and different political parties who made up the 50 lawmakers that recently lent their voices to the appeal for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    “The call signifies oneness of purpose and noble objective: that we are one people and what affects one, also affects another.

    “I have always emphasized that united we stand, divided we fall.

    “I want to assure them that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is interested in the peace and development of the South East and given his genuine love for the zone and the appeals so far made, a political solution is imminent in resolving the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    “The voices of my brothers in the parliament are indeed inspiring and I cannot thank them and other Nigerians enough for queuing behind me”, Kalu said.

  • Please allow dialogue with Nnamdi Kanu to commence – Ohanaeze begs Tinubu

    Please allow dialogue with Nnamdi Kanu to commence – Ohanaeze begs Tinubu

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to allow negotiaiton with the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to commence.

    The National President of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, in a statement on Thursday, said the federal government should accept the dialogue offered by Kanu.

    Recall that Kanu during his trial on Wednesday hinted at exploiting the process of an out-of-court settlement in the alleged treasonable felony charge brought against him by the Federal Government.

    Kanu gave the indication before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

    When the matter was called on Wednesday, his lead lawyer, Mr Ejimakor Aloy, urged the court to on its own invoke Section 17 of the Federal High Court Act, which he said, provides for “reconciliation” and facilitation of amicable settlement in criminal or civil matters.

    He claimed that he had some time ago discussed the proposition with counsel to the Federal Government, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, adding that the senior lawyer had responded by saying that the proper time for such an issue had not come.

    Reacting to the development, Okwu stated that the Igbo group had always canvassed for a diplomation settlement of the case involving Kanu, stressing that “now that the IPOB leader himself has opened the page for reconciliation, the Federal Government should grab this opportunity to ensure a total restoration of peace in the South-East.

    “We restate that considering the carnage we have witnessed in the South-East for several years now, no price is too much for peace.

    “Our passionate appeal to the Federal Government is to in the interest of peace and security, dialogue with Kanu and bring to an end the unrest in the South-East.

    “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the father of the nation, should please allow the dialogue process to commence as soon as possible.”

    The Igbo group also urged those carrying out attacks in the South-East to have a rethink.

    “It is gratifying to hear Mazi Nnamdi Kanu condemn their actions; you cannot continue to kill your own people in the name of agitation for freedom.

    “We appeal to their conscience, just like Kanu said, to stop making our young women widows and their children fatherless.”

  • AFCON: I owe Kanu and Okocha – Victor Osimhen

    AFCON: I owe Kanu and Okocha – Victor Osimhen

    Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen has revealed that he owes his success to ex-internationals Nwankwo Kanu and Austin Jay Jay Okocha.

    The Napoli star stated that Kanu and Okocha have served as a source of inspiration to his football career.

    “I used to speak with Nwankwo Kanu and Jay-Jay Okocha. I think I owe a lot of my success to them because they have been sort of an inspiration to me while growing up,” said Osimhen, who announced himself as the top scorer at the Under-17 World Cup in 2015.” Osimhen told AFP

    “To be up there in the same category as them — not that I am better than them in terms of football, but in terms of what I have achieved — I think is huge for me.

    He also expressed his disappointment with Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

    “The first game was really disappointing,” he said.

    “Going forward we need to make sure we get it right in the next game, which is against a tougher opponent.”

  • We cannot armtwist FG to release Nnamdi Kanu – DSP Kalu

    We cannot armtwist FG to release Nnamdi Kanu – DSP Kalu

    The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Benjamin Kalu, says the South-East must achieve peace and security before demanding the release of the Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    The deputy speaker said this during an interactive session with newsmen in his Bende country home on Sunday.

    He spoke on how best the region could approach its demand for Kanu’s release from detention.

    According to him, the region could only realise its objective through peaceful negotiations and not by armtwisting the Federal Government.

    He said that although the leadership of the South-East had made several efforts for Kanu’s release, the effort of some amounted to playing to the gallery.

    Kalu countered the widely held belief in the South-East that once Kanu is released peace would automatically return to the region.

    “To get Kanu released is not about how much you talk about it in the pages of the newspapers or television, it needs strategic thinking and strategic steps to get it done.

    “Many thought that by armtwisting the Federal Government through sit-at-home every Monday, through violence and destruction that the Federal Government can immediately release Kanu.

    “You  can never armtwist the Federal Government, but you can dialogue,” Kalu said.

    He said that the threat to burn down the region, if the Federal Government refused to listen to its request, was equal to shooting oneself in the foot.

    “The houses you are shooting are in the South-East.

    “When you say, if you don’t release Kanu, the people will sit at home and not go to work, people are going to work in Lagos, Kano, Sokoto and other parts of the country.

    “So, who are you shooting? It’s like a man shooting his own leg and taking accolade for it, and this is the greatest level of folly,” he said.

    The deputy speaker also said it would amount to daring the Federal Government to say “its fire-for-fire and violence for violence.

    “So, critically thinking, the best approach is to reduce the violence in the region and create a platform for negotiation,” he said.

    Kalu further contended that the president had not committed any sin against the South-East.

    He said that the president, on the contrary, had shown love to the region “by giving us the No. Six citizen (deputy speakership), Chief of Naval Staff and Minister for Works”.

    He, therefore, said that what the South-East should do in the present circumstance was to join his advocacy for peace, through the Peace in the South-East Project, unveiled on December 29.

    “That event, which brought the president, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado Bayero, to Bende is significant and symbolic because Kanu is from Bende,” he said.

    He said that the fact that Abuja emptied into Bende on that day showed the commitment of the Federal Government to peace in the South-East.

    “So, I urge the South-East to cool temper. South-East coolu, coolu, coolu temper.

    “When you cool your temper, then the father of the nation would say, yes, they are ready to talk now,” Kalu said.

    The deputy speaker, therefore, admonished the gunmen fomenting violence in the region to surrender their arms to the security agencies.

    He expressed the hope that they would be granted amnesty by the Federal Government, once they dropped their arms for peace to reign in the region.

    He said: “Sit-at-home is an affront to the Federal Government.

    “You cannot approbate and reprobate at the same time.”

    He disclosed that genuine moves were ongoing behind the curtain to have Kanu released, adding that “once there is peace, our brother would come out. “

    The deputy speaker further spoke on the need for Federal Government’s economic policies to be tailored toward reducing poverty in the country.

    He said that the National Assembly (NASS) should also lean toward legislations that would help to reduce poverty, diversify and grow the economy to create jobs for the teeming unemployed.

    He further said that the 10th NASS was committed to ensuring that good governance would be guaranteed because of its huge impact on the people through transparency and accountability.

  • How I hawked oranges and pure water in Abia – Super Falcons forward, Kanu

    How I hawked oranges and pure water in Abia – Super Falcons forward, Kanu

    Super Falcons forward, Uchenna Kanu has revealed that she used to hawk oranges and sachet water (known as “pure water”  on the streets of Aba, Abia State few years back.

    According to the Racing Louisville striker, she used to hawk alongside her brother who was also hawking soda drinks on the street of Abia.

    The 26-year-old attacker said they had fun while hawking.

    She said, “I used to sell oranges when I was younger. I would peel the oranges and put them in a pan, put it on top of my head and walk around the streets of Aba, hawking them.

    “And also, I hawked water. For Nigerians who would watch this video, I sold pure water and ice water. Also, I would go with my brother; he would hawk soda that’s Coca-Cola, Fanta, and Pepsi. Sometimes, we will be hawking in the market and we will just see each other and then we will say, ‘Hey!’ We would laugh and then separate again.”

    Kanu gained prominence after representing Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

    She made her senior debut with the Super Falcons in 2019.

  • Enyimba`s loss not a bad start for me – Kanu

    Enyimba`s loss not a bad start for me – Kanu

    The Chairman, Enyimba Football Club of Aba, Kanu Nwankwo has said that the club under him had not started badly.

    Nwankwo stated this at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba on Sunday while speaking to newsmen after the club played a goalless draw with Al Ahli SCSC of Benghazi, Libya.

    Enyimba crashed out of the CAF Champions league with a goalless draw after playing 4-3 away in the first leg with Al Ahli Benghazi in Libya a week ago.

    Kanu said although his team could not score, they played well but would need to return to the drawing board to make the Aba-based team achieve the expected results.

    “We wanted to be at the group stage and do what we had to do but all of us know that one plus one is two but it is not so in football.

    “We could not score a goal to win today, but sometimes it happens and it happens to the best team and the best players and that is football”, he said.

    Kanu promised to sign more players to fortify the team to ensure that the greatness was sustained.

    He said that best teams also lose at some point, stressing that it could have been a bad start if the team had played poorly and also lost.

    The Enyimba FC Chairman thanked Enyimba’s fans for coming out in numbers to cheer the team up, and urged them to continue supporting the team because Enyimba’s tomorrow would be brighter.

    Joseph Atule, one of Enyimba’s star players said the result of the match made the day a bad one for them.

    He, however, promised on behalf of his team mates to work harder to bring laurels to the Aba side through the upcoming national league competitions.

    Also speaking, Assistant Coach of Al Ahli SCSC Benghazi, Wanis Kheir said that the team came with a technical plan to defend their victory and succeeded.

    He said Enyimba was a good team but could not win in today’s match.

    Kheir said that his team would go into more training to ensure they come out better in their next match.

  • Court orders DSS to allow Kanu access to his medical records

    Court orders DSS to allow Kanu access to his medical records

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to grant the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, access to his medical records.

    Justice Binta Nyako, in a judgment, held that the DSS objections to Kanu’s request was unmeritorious.

    Justice Nyako held that Kanu was constitutionally entitled to have access to both the records he requested for and medical doctors of his choice.

    The judge, however, directed that the independent medical examination of Kanu by his personal physicians should be supervised by the DSS with the entire process recorded and sealed for security purpose.

    Kanu, through his team of lawyers led by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, had filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/ 2341/2022, against the DSS and its Director General as 1st and 2nd respondents.

    In the suit, the IPOB leader prayed the court for an order, granting him leave to, “apply for judicial review in the form of an order of mandamus, compelling the respondents to allow the applicant unhindered access to his medical doctors to enable them conduct an independent examination of his present deteriorating health condition.

    “An order of this Honourable Court granting leave to the applicant to apply for judicial review in the form of an order of mandamus, compelling the respondents to avail the applicant with all his medical records, from the 29th day of June, 2021, till date.”

    Kanu listed some of the records he would require from the DSS, to include; his admission records, medical and clinical notes, nursing notes, observation charts and documentation during treatment or stay-in-hospital, laboratory test results, pharmaceutical records, radiological scans, images and reports, blood transfusion records, physiotherapy and rehabilitative treatment records, clinical findings, as well as diagnosis and treatment prescribed records.

    But in a preliminary objection filed by the DSS, the security outfit urged the court to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction.

    It argued that there was a subsisting judgement of a sister court delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo (rtd.) on June 3, 2022 in suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1585/2021 between Kanu and DG of DSS and two others wherein the court dealt substantially with the issue of allowing the IPOB leader access to his personal physician.

    It said the instant suit was similar to the earlier one and that Kanu had filed an appeal against the judgment.

  • Stop paying bandits ransom in South-East – Kanu to politicians

    Stop paying bandits ransom in South-East – Kanu to politicians

    A brother of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Kanunta Kanu has urged politicians to stop bandits ransom to free abductees in the Southeast.

    In a tweet, Kanu said the Southeast must be free from Fulani kidnappers.

    He lamented that bandits have been paid millions and the Eastern Security Network, ESN, has been victimized.

    According to Kanu: “Eastern Region MUST be free from the hands of Fulani kidnappers.

    “The governors, politicians, and elites should stop promoting banditry in SE by paying ransom to free abductees.

    “You pay bandits millions, victimises #ESN & encourage the killings of #Biafrans by @HQNigerianArmy”.

  • Kanu’s lawyer urges DSS to release detained domestic workers

    Kanu’s lawyer urges DSS to release detained domestic workers

    Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lawyer to the leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately release three of his domestic workers.

    Ejiofor, who made the call on Friday in Abuja at a news briefing, listed the detained personnel as Felix Okonkwo (driver), Okafor Ugochukwu (gardener) and Ikenna Chibuike (steward) saying DSS detained them since June 2021.

    The lawyer told newsmen that Justice H. A. Nganjiwa of a Federal High Court sitting in Awka had in a judgment of July 22, ordered the release of the staff members.

    He said the judgment was on a suit challenging the invasion of his ancestral home by operatives of the Nigerian Police, the DSS, Army and Chukwuka Ofoegbu (aka Ijele speaks) on June 6, 2021.

    “We call on the President and the Attorney-General of the Federation to prevail on the Director-General of the DSS to immediately and unconditionally release my domestic staff.

    “(They are) still being illegally detained in their facility since June 2021 till date.

    “We also ask for the immediate compliance with all the terms of the judgment, already served on them.”

    Ejiofor told newsmen that his workers were taken away following an invasion of his home, where his Personal Assistant, Mr Samuel Okoro was killed and his elder brother, Mr Joel Ejiofor also taken away but later released.

    Before briefing newsmen, the lawyer played CCTV footage of how his Oraifite home was invaded by security operatives leading to the killing of Okoro.

    The CCTV footage also showed the operatives driving a red Camry car out of his house which Ejiofor said belonged to him.

    He said the car was later set ablaze.

    A copy of the judgment shows that Justice Nganjiwa had ordered the security operatives to pay a compensation of N107,000 million to Ejiofor.

    The court listed the Police, Inspector-General of Police, DSS, Director-General DSS, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigerian Army, Chief of Army Staff and Chukwuka Ofoegbu as those to pay the compensation.

    The sum is to cover:

    “The destroyed Toyota Camry car with registration No: YAB60CB in the sum of N5 million, being the value of the purchase price.

    “N100 million as general and exemplary damages on compensation for violation of his fundamental rights.

    “N2 million as cost for filling and prosecuting the suit.”

  • What Nnamdi Kanu told me during visit – Soludo

    What Nnamdi Kanu told me during visit – Soludo

    Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo says the detained leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu is unhappy with the killings and enforcement of the protracted sit-at-home order in the South-East.

    The order has always been enforced by groups claiming to act on his behalf.

    But Soludo said this was part of his interaction with Kanu during a visit to the proscribed IPOB leader in his detention facility on Friday in Abuja.

    Mr Christian Aburime, Chief Press Secretary to Soludo who issued a Statement on Sunday in Awka, reported Soludo as saying that kanu was in a stable condition.

    “Kanu is in support of continuation of the search for a sustainable solution to the insecurity in the South-Eastern part of the country,” the statement noted.

    According to him, “Kanu informed me that if given the opportunity, he would make a broadcast that would address the degenerating security situation in the South-East under the guise of agitation.

    “I visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanuo May 13 to felicitate with him and also as part of the wider consultations with critical stakeholders in search of lasting peace and security in the South-East.

    “He was in very high spirit and we had quality and frank discussion in a very convivial atmosphere.

    “He expressed sadness over what he described as ‘sacrilegious killings’ of innocent persons, kidnappings and all forms of criminality, including the brutal enforcement of the senseless sit at home perpetrated by sundry groups claiming to be acting for or on behalf of IPOB.

    “He (Kanu) assured that if the opportunity arises, he will be glad to personally broadcast to his followers to maintain the peace,” he said.

    Since the detention of Kanu more than a year ago, the illegal pro-Biafran group had declared every Monday sit-at-home, in sympathy for their leader.

    The situation had paralysed socio-economic activities in the five South-Eastern states of Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Anambra.