Biafra: Court Dismisses Six Charges Against Nnamdi Kanu

Justice of the federal high court, Abuja, Binta Nyako, on Wednesday dismissed six of the 11 charges brought against Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), by the Federal Government.

The dismissed charges bordered on “ownership of unlawful society, illegal importation of radio transmitters and researching on how to make improvised explosive devices”. A magistrate court in Abuja had thrown out similar charges in 2015.

Nyako said she took the decision to quash the six charges because the prosecutor did not present any evidence.

However, she held that Kanu and three other pro-Biafra agitators, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi would be re-arraigned on a five count charges. The charges includes conspiracy, treasonable felony, publication of defamatory matter and Kanu’s alleged importation of goods contrary and punishable under section 47(2) (a) of the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

On Tuesday, Chukwuma Soludo, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Patrick Utomi, a professor of economics, and some Igbo leaders called for the immediate release of Kanu.

They described his trial as persecution, and they asked the government to release him for the sake of engineering a new Nigeria.

Xenophobic attack: Niger Delta militants threaten to attack Dstv, MTN and others

Niger Delta militants on Wednesday threatened to blow up DSTV, MTN, Shoprite and other 16 major South African investments in Nigeria if the Federal Government failed to close them down within one month.

As a result of the ongoing xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and their businesses, the militants group gave one month ultimatum to South Africans living in Nigeria to relocate.

The threat from the militant groups namely, Niger Delta Watchdogs, Niger Delta Volunteers and Niger Delta Strike Force is contained in a copy of a letter addressed to the Office of the South African High Commission to Nigeria located at 71, Usuma Street, Off Gana Street, Abuja. Signatories to the letter are General John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs), General Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteer) and General Hart Bradford (Niger Delta Strike Force).

In the letter titled ‘Attack and Killings of Nigerians Living in South Africa’, the militants expressed anger that the South African Police were shielding criminals and joining them to kill Nigerians.

Apart from DSTV, MTN and Shoprite, some of the South African companies in Nigeria listed for attack by the militants are Eskom Nigeria, South African Breweries (SAB Miller), Umgeni Water, Refresh Product, LTA Construction and Protea Hotels.

Others, according to the letter, are Critical Rescue International, Global Outdoor Semces, PEP Retail Stores, Woolworths Holdings Limited, Truworths International Limited, Clover Industries, Oracle, Power Giant and Airtime.

97 Nigerians deported from S-Africa arrive Lagos

97 Nigerians deported from South Africa for alleged civil and criminal offences arrived Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, late Monday night. The deportees, arrived Nigeria aboard a chartered aircraft with registration number GBB710 from Johannesburg, South Africa.

They comprised of 95 males and two females. Six of the deportees were said to have been deported for drug related offences, while 10 were arrested and deported for criminal offences. Others allegedly committed immigration offences.

According to a Nigerian Immigration source: “Those deported for drug and criminal offences have been handed over to the police for prosecution, while others with civil cases were left to go home after profiling by the officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, at the airport.

This incident follows the recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Xenophobic attack: Delegation heads to South Africa

Femi Gbajabiamila

Leadership of the House of Representatives on Wednesday gave Femi Gbajabiamila (Majority leader of the House of Representatives) the mandated to lead a delegation of some members to South Africa in respect of the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa. In a resolution on Tuesday presided by the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun the House said that the committee will be joined by the Chairman House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Nnena Okeje, Rep. Sadiq Ibrahim, Henry Nwawuba, Nasiru Zango Daura, and Shehu Aliyu Musa.

The House also resolved that the delegation of legislators and officials from the ministry of foreign affairs should engage the parliament of South Africa and Nigerians in South Africa on the xenophobic attacks with a view to stopping the attacks and any further occurrence in future.