News
Restore my revoked bail’ – Nnamdi Kanu tells court
The embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has urged the Federal High Court to restore the bail granted him earlier.
He pointed out that, contrary to the ruling that led to his bail revocation, he never jumped bail.
Recall that on April 25, 2017, the Abuja Federal High Court had granted the IPOB leader bail but it was later revoked and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest on the ground that he jumped bail.
He, however, denied jumping bail, stressing that he left Nigeria when security agents invaded his country home of Afaraukwu in Abia State.
Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, had filed a motion of notice, FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, before the Abuja Federal High Court, praying that the bail revocation should be set aside over misrepresentation.
The Motion on Notice reads partly: “On 25 April 2017, the applicant was admitted to bail by this Honourable Court. The Applicant was enjoying his bail when he came under attack by agents of the Complainant at his home at Isiama Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North LGA, Abia State, whereupon the Applicant fled from Nigeria in what was purely an act of self-preservation.
“The bail of the Applicant was revoked by this Honourable Court and a bench warrant issued against him upon the application of the Complainant made to this Honorable Court that the Applicant had jumped bail.
“The applicant was, pursuant to said bench warrant, subsequently kidnapped in Kenya by agents of the complainant and was brought to Nigeria by way of extraordinary rendition.
“The jurisdiction of this Honourable Court to try the Defendant, as well as issues pertaining to his bail and extraordinary rendition, were challenged up to the Supreme Court in SC/CR/1361/2022: BETWEEN FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA V. NNAMDI KANU, where their Lordships made a determined that the applicant’s bail ought not to have been revoked in the first place, being that it was the invasion of the applicant’s home that caused him to flee in order to secure his life and physical well-being.
“The order setting aside the applicant’s bail, the warrant of arrest and the forfeiture of his bail bond ought to be reversed by virtue of the decision of the Supreme Court. The bail of the applicant ought to be restored in the interest of justice.”
Brother to the IPOB’s leader, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, deposed to an affidavit in support of the motion for Kanu’s bail restoration.
By Gloria Ikibah
Eight out of the nine Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members representing Osun State in the House of Representatives have firmly restated their loyalty to the party and Governor Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke, distancing themselves from recent defection claims.
Their stance follows public comments by Rep. Busayo Oluwole Oke, who recently exited the PDP and hinted that other members of the Osun caucus were poised to follow his lead.
In a joint statement released in Abuja on Friday, the lawmakers which include Reps Bamidele Salam, Ajilesoro Abimbola Taofeek, Mudashiru Lukman Alani, Akanni Clement Ademola, Omirin Emmanuel Olusanya, Adewale Moruf Adebayo, Adetunji Abidemi Olusoji, and Oladebo Lanre Omoleye—made it clear they remain committed to the PDP and its leadership in the state.
They described Oke’s exit as unsurprising, pointing to what they called his long-standing pattern of defiance, public criticism of the party, and antagonism towards the Adeleke-led government.
The lawmakers labelled his defection as an act of ingratitude, given the political opportunities the PDP had afforded him over the years, and cautioned him against spreading misleading narratives aimed at courting favour within his new political camp.
…as he unveils Renewed Hope Partners in Umuahia
…seek federal projects to boost regional economy
By Gloria Ikibah
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives,Rep. Benjamin Kalu, has urged the South East to forge stronger political alignment with the federal government, stressing that such synergy is key to unlocking greater development opportunities for the region.
Kalu made this call on Thursday in Umuahia, Abia State, during the formal launch of Renewed Hope Partners (RHP), a political and development-oriented platform tailored to advance the second-term ambition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Describing the RHP as a strategic tool, Kalu explained that it would serve to bridge national policies with regional priorities, ensuring that the South East fully benefits from the federal government’s agenda.
Speaking to a crowd of stakeholders and supporters, the Deputy Speaker, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, cited various achievements under the current administration, particularly in the South East, and reassured the people of the government’s continued commitment to infrastructure, economic inclusion, and stability.
He called on the federal government to prioritize key developmental projects in the region, including the construction of a gas pipeline to support industrial growth, the dredging of the Onitsha River to revive inland water transport and trade, and the expansion of the Onne port to ease logistics and boost economic activities across the South.
Kalu urged the region to leverage its collective strength and re-engage with the centre for long-term relevance and impact, noting that the time had come for strategic partnership over political isolation.
The Deputy Speaker highlighted several milestones recorded under President Tinubu’s administration, including proposed investments totalling $50.8 billion, a rise in national revenues to over ₦9.1 trillion within the first half of 2024, and a GDP growth rate pegged at 3.4% for the year.
He also pointed to a sharp rise in foreign remittances, which reportedly hit $23.4 billion—marking a 61.1% increase compared to the previous year.
Referencing the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative, Kalu noted that the shift is expected to reduce the country’s petrol import bill by over ₦2 trillion monthly.
Spanish police said Friday they had nabbed a woman who allegedly sold her newborn baby girl to a couple undergoing fertility treatments for 2,000 euros ($2,300).
Officers arrested the 37-year-old last month in Mostoles, a southern suburb of Madrid, a police statement said. The couple suspected of buying the baby and two of their relatives were detained in the southern city of Cordoba.
A preliminary investigation concluded the woman “reached an economic deal” to give her newborn baby for 2,000 euros to the couple, but then “regretted selling her daughter” and asked to get her back.
The couple refused to return the baby unless the woman returned the money they had paid, plus another 1,000 euros to cover various expenses the woman said she had incurred during the month she spent with them in Cordoba before giving birth.
Police said they began investigating after the woman filed a complaint alleging that a family in Cordoba had “kidnapped” her newborn baby.
The baby was turned over to a child protection centre in Cordoba. The authorities had in 2022 removed the woman’s six other children from her custody, accusing her of neglect, police said.
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