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Court Lifts IPOB Ban, Awards Kanu N8bn

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Justice A. O. Onovo of the Enugu State High Court, Thursday, declared the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra by the South-East Governors’ Forum as illegal, unconstitutional, and null and void.

The PUNCH had reported that in 2017, the South-East Governors Forum, led by former Gov David Umahi of Ebonyi State, proscribed IPOB activities. The development led to the Federal Government listing IPOB as a terror organisation three days later.

However, IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, through his counsel, Mr Aloy Ejimakor, approached the court to seek the reversal of the prescription.

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READ ALSO: Oyo College Students Storm EFCC Office, Protest ‘Invasion’ By Operatives

Kanu sought the court’s declaration that IPOB proscription was illegal as it was an organisation “composed of citizens of Nigeria of the Igbo and other eastern Nigerian ethnic groups, professing the political opinion of self-determination.”

The IPOB leader prayed the court to declare his “arrest and consequent detention and prosecution as illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amounts to infringement of the applicant’s fundamental rights.”

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He urged the court to make a declaration that “self-determination is not a crime and thus cannot be used as a basis to arrest, detain and prosecute the applicant.”

He then prayed the court to compel the defendants to pay him N8bn in damages “for the physical, mental, emotional and psychological trauma he was subjected to.”

READ ALSO: 25% Votes: Supreme Court Upholds Appeal Court’s Ruling On FCT

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In his judgment on Thursday, Justice Onovo agreed with Kanu and declared IPOB proscription “unconstitutional and illegal.”

He also ordered the defendants to pay him N8bn damages and to tender a public apology to him through newspaper publications.

Addressing journalists shortly after the judgment, Kanu’s lawyer, Ejimakor, said, “We are grateful that justice has prevailed over this matter since 2017. The court has reaffirmed the hopes of the common man in the judiciary. You have saved thousands of lives.”

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18-year-old OAU Medical Student Dies While Sleeping

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The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, has announced the death of an 18-year-old part-three medical student of the institution.

The student, identified as Timilehin Adetoye Toromade, was a student of the College of Health Sciences, Department of Medicine and Surgery.

According to a statement by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, Timilehin with matriculation number CLI/2022/133, reportedly died in his sleep in the early hours of Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

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The statement revealed that the “university received the news of the student’s passing with shock and deep sorrow”.

READ ALSO:OAU Student Electrocuted While Retrieving Ball

It also described the incident as devastating to the academic community.

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According to the statement, “preliminary information suggested that the student might have died shortly after 2 a.m., as one of his roommates reportedly said the deceased opened the door for another student around that time.

“The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, expressed condolences on behalf of the Visitor, the University Council, Management, Senate, staff and students”.

The VC, Professor Bamire, described the incident as a painful loss, saying, “The loss of a young life filled with promise, purpose, and potential is a tragedy that words alone cannot adequately capture.”

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READ ALSO:No ID Cards, No Exams, OAU Students Ground Campus In Protest

He added that the university community was united in grief over the passing of a student who had embraced the rigours of medical training with the aim of serving humanity.

According to him, the death had left a void among the student’s peers and all those who knew him within the university community.

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The university management stated that it was working closely with relevant authorities to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident, in line with established medical and administrative procedures.

It also disclosed that appropriate support measures were being put in place to assist students and members of the university community who may have been emotionally affected by the loss.

The management called on students, staff, alumni and friends of the institution to remain calm and compassionate, while extending sympathy to the family of the deceased.

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Panic As BRT Bus Catches Fire On Third Mainland Bridge

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Panic gripped motorists on Tuesday afternoon following a fire outbreak involving a Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, vehicle on the Third Mainland Bridge, leading to massive traffic disruption.

The incident occurred around 1:00 p.m. near the Adekunle section of the bridge, heading towards Iyana Oworo.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, confirmed the development in a statement posted on its official X handle.

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According to the agency, the high-capacity BRT bus suddenly went up in flames, prompting anxiety among road users in the area.

READ ALSO:Police Detain Officers Over Alleged N3.3m Extortion From Lagos Couple

Footage shared online showed the bus completely consumed by fire, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky as motorists slowed down or sought alternative routes to avoid the scene.

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While no injuries or loss of life were reported, the incident caused a heavy traffic buildup extending from Adekunle towards Iyana Oworo.

A high-capacity bus is currently on fire on the Third Mainland Bridge by Adekunle, inward Iyana Oworo, and this is impacting traffic flow,” LASTMA stated.

Our personnel are on ground managing traffic, while efforts are ongoing to extinguish the fire,” the agency added.

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READ ALSO:Lagos Govt Begins Clearance Of Illegal Structures Along Lagos-Badagry Expressway

Subsequent updates indicated that officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the scene and worked to control the blaze to prevent further damage.

Traffic officers were also deployed to redirect vehicles away from the affected area as emergency responders tackled the situation.

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As of the time this report was filed, the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.

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Kwara Vigilante Men Arrested By Soldiers In Edo State Released

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Six Kwara State vigilante men arrested by the Nigerian Army on December 31,2025, along Auchi-Ikpeshi highway in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, have been released after a thorough investigation by the authorities.

Spokesperson of the state police command, SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi, confirmed the development in a statement in Ilorin on Tuesday.

The statement read in part; “The Kwara State Police Command wishes to confirm that on Wednesday, 31st December, 2025, it received six vigilante members who were earlier arrested by personnel of the Nigerian Army along the Auchi–Ikpeshi Road in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.

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READ ALSO:Edo: Suspected Kidnappers Kill Victim, Hold On To Elder Brother

The Vigilantes, travelling in a vehicle belonging to Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, were formally handed over to the Kwara State Police Command by the Brigade Commander, 22 Armoured Brigade, Sobi Barracks, Ilorin, Brigadier General N.N. Rume, for the purpose of investigation and profiling.

“Following a thorough investigation, it was established that the individuals are legitimate members of a vigilante group operating in collaboration with recognised security agencies in the ongoing efforts to combat banditry and other forms of criminality.

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READ ALSO:Armed Robbers Shot PoS Operator To Death In Edo

Consequently, having been exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing, the vigilante members were released to their respective leaders,” the statement added.

The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, reiterated the command’s commitment to synergy among security agencies and community-based security outfits, while urging all groups to continually operate within the confines of the law.

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He assured members of the public that the command remains steadfast in its resolve to ensure the safety and security of all residents of the state.

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