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Obi to Tinubu: Kanu a political ‘captive,’ let him go
There is no reason Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), should spend another day in dungeon of the Department of State Services (DSS), where he has been clamped since 2021, given the rising voices from the South East, and some other parts of the country, now insisting on his immediate release.
The Federal Government, through Abubakar Malami, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice (AGF-MoJ), had at a joint press conference with security operatives, on July 29, 2021, announced the capture of the IPOB boss, who was said to have been bundled out of Kenya, East Africa, back to Nigeria, through an operation he described as “international collaborative.”
All efforts to secure his freedom since then, including a pronouncement by the Court of Appeal that he had no case to answer and a robust rapprochement by Igbo leaders, championed by Ohanaeze, the socio-cultural organisation and apex decision-making body of the Igbo people, had failed, as then government of President Muhammadu Buhari, through which operation to bring him back was carried out, not only appealed the judgement, but insisted that on fresh judicial proceedings that have kept him in detention.
However, the voices for his release had become more strident in recent weeks with 50 members of the House of Representatives leading the call, which saw the five governors of the South East, electing to visit President Bola Tinubu, to table the demand, while their counterparts in the National Assembly, echoing the same call, visited Lateef Fagbemi, the present AGF-MoJ, to table the same demand.
Joining in the fray, Ben Obi, former Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs, on Wednesday night, described the IPOB leader as a political prisoner, stating that his release was long overdue, especially as others, who allegedly committed similar offences for which he is being held, had since regained their freedom.
Specifically mentioning Sunday Igboho, a Yoruba freedom fighter, who is now holidaying in Germany, after his release for a Benin Republic jail, at the instigation of the FG, Obi, a guest of Prime Time, a current affairs programme on Arise News television, told his host that the release of Kanu, had become quite crucial at the moment, as it had the potentials of stemming the tide of insecurity in the South East, being attributed to IPOB.
“First of all, I must salute the candid performance of solidarity exhibited by President (Olusegun) Obasanjo, (Commonwealth) Secretary, Emeka Anyoku, the Obi of Onitsha (Nnaemeka Achebe) and President of Ohanaeze (Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu), in showing solidarity with the governors of the South East in the quest of pursuing the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“Various bodies have spoken in favour of his release. You’ll recall that Pa Edwin Clark has spoken again and again, Pa Ayo Adebanjo has spoken, the courts also spoke. Ohanaeze, again and again, has spoken. I do believe that the best interest of every and any government is where it is possible to secure peace and tranquility and if there is anybody that will contribute immensely in securing peace and tranquility in any region or zone, our duty is to encourage to have that person play that role.
“It is moreso, when the issue at hand has more to do with somebody who is considered to be a political captive. I’m happy also that the governors of the South East finally came together and deliberated on the issue of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and have agreed to work hand in gloves in meeting the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in resolving the issue. I must confess that I have a good relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and I know how he operates politically.
“I think he listens and I believe that he still listens. I do not see that if all these great Nigerians have come together, calling upon him as the Commander-in-Chief to get Nnamdi Kanu off the hook, I do not believe he will not listen to them. I believe very strongly that the President I know, will listen to these great minds and let Mazi Nnamdi Kanu off the hook, so we can try and resolve the security situation in the South East.
“I just want you to know that when a child is crying and pointing in one direction, it is either the father or the mother is in that direction. All of us are saying the same thing – let Nnamdi Kanu be free. And I don’t think we can all be stupid at the same time. So, I want to join hands with the Governors of South East Forum to plead with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, to do the needful.”
Nafiu Bala Gombe, the man on whose behalf the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is currently in a prostrate state, has admitted to getting outside help in prosecuting his legal matters against the David Mark camp.
Recall that Mark, former Senate President and Rauf Aregbesola were, last week, derecognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and had their names struck out based on the case filed by Gombe on September 2, 2025.
The commission had relied on the pronouncement of the Court of Appeal, which ordered parties in the case to maintain status quo ante bellum, which it interpreted to mean that it should not deal with either side.
Against the backdrop of the dust the matter had raised across the country, the embattled ADC leadership, had accused the former Deputy Chairman of being sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to play the spoiler role to enable President Bola Tinubu have no challenge in the 2027 presidential election.
Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the Mark camp, had last week, stated this much when he wondered how Gombe, who on his own could not afford an ordinary lawyer, going by his financial status, would now be hiring more than three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to represent him, which would probably run into tens of millions of naira.
Reacting on Tuesday, Gombe admitted getting outside help, but added that such assistance was not coming from government quarters or the APC, but from public-spirited individuals and Nigerians averse to the injustice being meted out to him.
Abimuku Monday, spokesman to Gombe, who spoke during an appearance on Morning Briefs, a breakfast programme on Channels Television, on Tuesday, told his host: “Before now, they were saying these people are big weights and we’re light weights. Now, we’re suddenly being seen as human beings. Earlier, we were seen as nobodies – as boys who don’t have capacity to challenge this in court.
“They say Nafiu Bala does not even have money to pursue his case. You see, that’s how they reduce people by their own estimation. They don’t find out who people. They have forgotten that for you to seek legal actions, there are so many ways to go about it.
“It is either you use your own money or your personal relationship with people. Does it mean that somebody in politics cannot have his own friends or cannot have lawyers as his friend or cannot have other members of the society as his friends.
“These are not members of the APC. They don’t belong to any party. They’re citizens of this country, who mean well for Nigeria. Nobody is scuttling the coalition. The fact remains that if you have a challenge, people will rally around you knowing it’s a good cause you’re fighting. People will rally around you to give you the necessary support that you need. They even called my principal a small boy.”
Serah Luca, a Christian woman, has returned N1 million she unknowingly took along with goods purchased from a trader at Terminus market in Jos, Plateau state capital.
Luca, a petty trader, reportedly said she made the purchase on Friday and only discovered the hidden cash after getting home.
She said her decision to return the money was driven by fear of God and her belief that she could not keep what did not belong to her, especially knowing the hardship that comes with losing money in business.
“I am a petty businesswoman. I know what it means to suffer loss. If I put that kind of money into my business, I believe God would punish me,” Daily Trust quoted her as saying.
The trader, Abubakar Dola, who deals in polythene bags at Terminus market, expressed surprise at the woman’s honesty, noting that he had no idea where the money went after mistakenly placing it inside the bag she bought.
Dola said he had planned to transfer the cash through a point of sales (POS) operator but became worried when he could not see the polythene bag where the money was kept.
“I mistakenly included it in what she bought. I didn’t realise until days later, and I had already given up hope. For her to return it after three days is remarkable. I pray Allah rewards her and gives us more people like her.”
“The entire country could be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” were the words with which US President Donald Trump, flashed the redlight signal over what could be the fate of Iran in the coming hours, after a month-old war, which saw leaders of the Islamic nation, all but totally obliterated.
The POTUS, who on Saturday, gave Iran 48 hours to to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic approaches, or comply or risk facing “hell,” later threatened that the US would blow up Iran’s power plants and bridges if Tehran failed to adhere to his warning.
However, in his latest threat on Monday, Trump told reporters that Iran had until Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET (1 am WAT) to make a deal, adding: “We have a plan, because of the power of our military, where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o’clock tomorrow night, where every power plant in Iran will be out of business – burning, exploding and never to be used again, I mean complete demolition – by 12 o’clock. And it’ll happen over a period of four hours if we want it to. We don’t want that to happen.”
Nafiu Gombe: Yes, I have sponsors! *I can’t fight ADC big men alone!
Woman returns N1million discovered in purchased items to owner
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