News
Alleged Treason: Eastern Senators Beg President Tinubu To Release Nnamdi Kanu
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 by the Federal Government and brought to the country for trial on terrorism charges.
Senators from the South-East have pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to order the release of the detained leader of the indigenous people of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
Led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the lawmakers claimed that unless Kanu is released, the social and economic activities in the South-East region will continue to be stagnant.
The senators held a closed-door meeting with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, where their letter to President Tinubu on the release of Kanu, was delivered for onward passage to the the presidency.
Addressing journalists immediately after the meeting, Abaribe who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, lamented that the economy and social life in the region had suffered enough due to the continued incarceration of the Biafra nation agitator.
Abaribe noted with grave concern, that the peaceful demand of the detained IPOB leader had been hijacked by hoodlums and hardened criminals, leading to wanton killings of innocent people, including security operatives.
The former Abia state Deputy Governor told journalists, that he had already met with Kanu at the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja on Monday, and that Kanu had agreed to abide by any conditional release.
Senator Abaribe expressed optimism that once Kanu is released, the tension and acrimonies engulfing the region since 2021 when he was clamped into DSS custody, would become an event of the past.
The senators therefore pleaded with the AGF to convey their message to President Tinubu and for the AGF, to use his position to terminate all charges brought against the IPOB leader by the federal government.
Besides the Senators, Abaribe said that virtually all political leaders, religious leaders and stakeholders, have unanimously agreed that Kanu be released for peace to return to the region.
Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 by the Federal Government and brought to the country for trial on terrorism charges.
Although he pleaded not guilty to the charges, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, declined to admit him to bail on the ground that he jumped the earlier one in which Senator Abaribe was his surety.
Kanu has since been in the custody of the DSS on the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
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Reps Quiz Federal Polytechnics Damaturu, Mubi, Monguno Over Infractions
By Gloria Ikibah
News
Obasanjo narrates how he escaped becoming drug addict
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he almost became a drug addict.
He spoke in Abeokuta over the weekend at the second edition of ‘Fly Above The High’ anti-drug campaign conference organised by the Recovery Advocacy Network.
Obasanjo stated that smoking during his youthful age led to chronic coughing and almost became an addiction.
The former President, while lamenting the increase in drug abuse among Nigerians and other West Africans, urged Nigerian students and young people to refrain from abusing psychoactive drugs, saying that they ruin life rather than enhance it.
“If I had persisted, I could have become addicted. Once you get involved, it is difficult to get out.
“There’s nothing drug can do for you except destruction.
“We found out that West Africa has equally been a centre for drug consumption in a very bad way. That was more than 10 years ago, so the situation has since gone worse. And whatever applies to West Africa applies to all other parts of Africa,” Obasanjo said.
He cautioned against stigmatization and urged individuals who are already addicted to psychoactive drugs to get help.
News
We saved $20bn after Petrol Subsidy Removal and FX Rate Reforms, Says Finance Minister
Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, says Nigeria has saved $20 billion from petrol subsidy removal and market-based pricing of the foreign exchange rate.
Edun spoke at a ceremony recently held to mark the first 100 days in office of Esther Walso-Jack, head of civil service of the federation, in Abuja.
“An amount of five per cent of GDP is what those two subsidies were costing when there was a subsidy on PMS; when there was petroleum product generally for a long time and when there was a subsidy of foreign exchange. Between them, they were costing five percent of GDP,” he said.
“If you say GDP was on average, let’s say $400 billion. We all know what five percent of that is – $20 billion of funds that could be going into infrastructure, health, social services, education.”
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