News
Poor knowledge of law killing Nigeria – Kanu *Says, Nyako, hired to nail me
“The prosecution and this court do not know the law. That is the fact. Poor knowledge of the law is killing Nigeria. This is a federal gazetted law of Nigeria that the Chief Judge cannot tell Binta Nyako what to do. It’s here. It’s your law, just obey it. That is why I do what I do. I agitate for Biafra. It’s my right to agitate. They turned it (case) from treasonable felony to terrorism.”
These were the exact words of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), with which he took on Justice Binta Murtala Nyako, Justice of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, assailing her for allegedly insisting on going ahead with his trial, despite earlier recusing herself from the case.
Kanu, who was first taken to Nyako in 2017, was returned before her court after he was grabbed in Kenya and returned to Nigeria, by the nation’s security forces, in an operation his lawyers described as forceful rendition, in 2021, has been insisting that the judge had expressed bias in the matter and should discontinue.
On Monday, at the resumed sitting, the IPOB boss, who had escaped the country, in September 2017, after enjoying some months of respite, following the bail granted him by the same Nyako, and later reappeared in the UK, from where he continued attacking the person of Muhammadu Buhari, former Nigerian President, continued to express his discontent about the way his matter was being handled.
He directly accused Nyako of having a personal interest in the matter, saying she was desperate to convict him, because of the interest of her family members, currently facing corruption charges from the Nigerian government, adding that he had already petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) on the matter.
Questioning the jurisdiction of his alleged terrorism case when he re-appeared before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court for the resumed hearing of his protracted case, the IPOB leader insisted that she no longer had jurisdiction over his case due to her earlier recusal.
Following an oral application by the IPOB leader on September 24, 2024, Nyako had actually caved in and excused herself from the matter, but John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, had returned the file on the matter to her on the ground that she had already gone far and that no other judge was ready to take over.
Monday’s continuation of the case before Nyako, was based on a letter dated December 5, 2024, to the Deputy Chief Registrar, Adegboyega Awomolo, where the prosecution counsel, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of the trial, even after Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s lawyer, in his own letter dated December 9, 2024 had insisted that the recusal of the judge remained valid.
Though Ejimakor, asked that the case be transferred to a Federal High Court in the South-East if no judge in Abuja is willing to preside over it, his submission was rejected, but instead got notice of the new adjourned date for Monday.
Nyako, who explained her reason for continuing the case was because the Chief Judge had not accepted her recusal and had referred the case back to her, asked the defence team to come up with a written application if they still insisted on the recusal, with Awomolo, insisting the prosecution was ready for the commencement of trial as his witnesses were ready.
From Godswill Obot Akpabio, Senate President, came a definitive message to Nigerians on Friday – the future is bright, the road is clear and destination is assured under a strong, visionary and purposeful democratic leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
But he also raised a proviso – since democracy is participatory all citizens of the country, must get involved in providing the planks, which when nailed together, would enable the leaders fortify the platform for its growth, to enhance a robust, viable future.
These formed the fulcrum of his admonishment, as he joined other national leaders to celebrate Nigeria’s 27th anniversary of uninterrupted democracy, in which it not only broke the vice grip of military rule, but witnessed seven election circles to choose leaders at both national and other levels of government.
Akpabio, Chairman of the National Assembly, Nigeria’s lawmaking institution, was particular about the participation of the Nigerian youths in making his admonition come true, reminding them that they actually owned the future being fashioned today.
Conveying his message through Eseme Eyiboh, his spokesman the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and former Minister of Niger Delta, also called on Nigerians to embrace unity, vigilance, and active participation in nation-building, commending them for showcasing resilience and support for democracy despite some low moments.
Noting that democratic experiment remained a testimony of endurance despite years of agitations, he said: “On behalf of the 10th National Assembly, I congratulate every Nigerian for the sustenance of democracy for close to three decades. Mistakes have been made in the course of this journey but we will surely get to the desired destination with your support.”
“Democracy should extend beyond the conduct of elections and be anchored on accountability, justice, compassion and service to the common good.”
Particularly for the Nigerian youths, he was emphatic about their active participation in the nation’s political process stressing that the younger generation forms the fulcrum of leadership succession.
Hear him: “As we commemorate June 12, I wish to encourage the youth not to sit on the fence but be active participants in the nation’s political activities. The youths constitute the fulcrum of those who will succeed us tomorrow.
“Let us therefore rededicate ourselves to the ideals of freedom, transparency and accountable government, social justice, and active citizen participation, especially the youths.”
The Senate President, also spoke the current parlous state of carnage in the country, appealing to Nigerians to unite with one another and cooperate with the government to tame “the monster that has befallen the nation.”
Assuring that Tinubu’s administration remained committed to ending the menace and securing the release of all persons in captivity, he said: “I urge every Nigerian to support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in her efforts in fighting terrorism. We understand the pains you are going through but the government is not resting on its oars and hopefully we shall overcome this current challenge and all will be well with Nigeria.”
Seriake Dickson, National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), on Wednesday showcased Peter Obi, its presidential candidate in the 2027 election, but gave a proviso – his importance would not be at the expense of the party.
A guest on Prime Time, a public affairs programme on ARISE NEWS Television, the former Governor of Bayelsa State, now Senator representing West at the National Assembly, maintained that the belief in some quarters that Obi’s entrance into the party was a favour was completely misplaced.
Instead, he argued that the opposite was the case, as it was the party that was doing its candidates a favour by giving them the opportunity to contest elective positions on its platform in the 2027 elections, a gesture that ought to be returned.
Hear him: “Don’t make it look like anyone is doing NDC a favour. No one is. Rather, the NDC and I and my colleagues are doing people a favour by granting our platform. If you are genuinely supporting Peter Obi and you are disparaging me, the leader, or the platform itself. That is nonsensical.”
Stressing that NDC had demonstrated confidence in Obi by adopting Obi as its sole presidential candidate and selecting a vice-presidential candidate without internal disputes, he said it was enough to earn its leadership the gratitude it deserved.
He added: “Nobody paid shishi. So, if a presidential candidate didn’t pay shishi to be made the sole presidential candidate and sole vice-presidential candidate, that same party cannot be the one saying that small people are underprivileged.
“I could have run. There’s no one more qualified than me. There’s no one more qualified than me to run for presidential candidate. None. There is no crisis within the NDC. Peter Obi is a cherished member of our party. On our own, we have made him a presidential candidate. Sole presidential candidate. And that counts for something. We are working well together. There’s no crisis.”
Invoking its zero tolerance on issues of security breaches, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has clamped down on aircraft and crew of the privately operated jet that landed on a roadway in the Ogwashi-Uku area near Asaba, Delta state.
Even with regulatory body for airline operations in Nigeria informed that no casualties were recorded in the incident, it still went for its sanctions in line with its sworn position of maintaining maximum safety at every point.
In a statement on Wednesday, Michael Achimugu, its spokesman said preliminary reports indicated that the aircraft conducted a missed approach while attempting to land at Asaba airport at about 7:43am.
Achimugu: Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, said: “Reports received from personnel at the scene indicate that all occupants safely exited the aircraft and were transported to Asaba by road,” Achimugu said. The aircraft had four (4) crew members on board. At this time, no injuries to passengers or crew have been reported.
“Preliminary information available to the authority indicated that the aircraft later departed the location and returned to Lagos without obtaining the required regulatory approval. Air traffic control was informed only after the aircraft had become airborne.”
Stressing that the action constitutes a violation of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) and is currently under investigation by the authority, he said the NCAA immediately grounded the aircraft upon its arrival in Lagos pending the outcome of investigations.
He added: “The flight crew have been placed under regulatory review while the NCAA conducts further inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the occurrence and the subsequent unauthorised departure of the aircraft.
“The NCAA has formally notified the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) of the occurrence and is coordinating with relevant aviation stakeholders, including the operator and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Stating that the NCAA immediately suspended the operator’s permit for non-commercial flight (PNCF), he added that the authority would review all operational, airworthiness, maintenance and flight-related records as part of its statutory responsibilities and take further enforcement action in accordance with applicable aviation regulations.
Achimugu said the NCAA remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety, security, and regulatory compliance within the Nigerian aviation sector.
-
News4 weeks agoTinubu to African leaders: Copy Nigeria, produce your way out of poverty
-
News3 weeks agoBREAKING: US-Nigeria troops slaughter 175 ISWAP fighters
-
Columns3 weeks agoDear General Gowon: That apology you’re running from is your nemesis
-
News1 week agoBREAKING: Terrorists strike Ibadan again! Abduct ex-Minister’s sister, twin children
-
News4 weeks agoWhy we pegged presidential ticket forms at N60million – NDC
-
News4 weeks agoGowon on civil war: My book is to put records straight, remove falsehood
-
News3 weeks agoBREAKING: Wait over! Arsenal are CHAMPIONS! Win EPL after 22 years hiatus
-
Columns2 weeks agoSee Tinubu’s terrible damage on Option A4 and its precious memories