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Kanu: US Lawyer Writes Ohanaeze, Raises Alarm

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Bruce Fein, the United States-based lawyer of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has written to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

He warned the group not to sit on the legal fence, noting that Nigeria plans to imprison Kanu indefinitely without trial.

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The letter dated May 31, 2022 was addressed to the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, George Obiozor, and made available to newsmen by Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, on Tuesday.

In the letter, Bruce Fein of Bruce Fein Law Firms, Washington DC, exposed alleged plans by the Federal Government to imprison Nnamdi Kanu indefinitely without a trial praying for either for his death.

“It has become obvious beyond a reasonable doubt that the Fulani zealots have no incriminating evidence against him. They aim to imprison Nnamdi Kanu indefinitely without a trial praying for either for his death or handing his fraudulent prosecution to the next administration and wash their hand like Pontius Pilate,” part of the read.

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Part of the letter reads, “For nearly a year, Nnamdi Kanu has been punished by indefinite detention in solitary confinement and denied access to needed nutrition, medical care, and counsel of choice in violation of international human rights law and the Nigerian Constitution. (The Fulani government notoriously honors the Constitution in the breach rather than in the observance). Nnamdi Kanu has also been denied his rights to a public, prompt, and fair trial before an impartial judge.

“The Fulani have amended the charges against Nnamdi Kanu three times. They remain infinitely vague. They trespass on the universally recognized international law right of every people to self-determination exalted in Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 3 of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 61/295, Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007).

READ ALSO: Biafra: Umahi Reveals His Discussion With Buhari On Nnamdi Kanu’s Case

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“Notwithstanding armies of lawyers and investigators, the Fulani remain unprepared for trial after the elapse of more than 11 months since Nnamdi Kanu’s detention in Abuja. There still is no trial date.”

Fein, who is Nnamdi Kanu’s international lawyer and spokesperson further warned Ohanaeze, “Face up to your legal and moral responsibilities as professed Biafran leaders. Do not show your heels when danger appears.

“To whom much is given, much will be required. Luke 12:48. All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men and women to do nothing.

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“Nnamdi Kanu is one of you – born on the same soil, raised on the same food, buoyed by the same music and dances, and nurtured by the same culture, inspired by the same flag. He has risked that last full measure of devotion (including dodging bullets of would-be assassins) to deliver the Biafran people from the cruel oppressions and genocide of the Fulani-controlled Government of Nigeria like Moses and Pharaoh in the Old Testament.”

Fein said the prosecution climbed to a new level of farce on May 25, 2022, adding, “A bail hearing had been set by Justice Binta Nyako for May 26. Bail has been denied on the preposterous theory that Nnamdi Kanu previously jumped bail in September 2017 when he barely escaped an assassination attempt by exercising his unalienable right to self-preservation when Nigerian security forces riddled his residence with bullets murdering many others. An Abia High Court has awarded Nnamdi Kanu 5 billion naira for that flagrant and notorious violation of fundamental rights.

“The day before the bail hearing, Justice Nyako announced through the court Registrar that she had become “indisposed” and had adjourned the case another month to June 28, 2022. Couldn’t the Justice concoct a better excuse, like affliction with Covid?

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“Indisposed” means a mild illness that passes in days. A more likely explanation is that Attorney General Abubakar Malami, acting on the instructions of President Muhammadu Buhari, ordered Nyako to again postpone the proceedings because the prosecution has no case.

“Depend upon it. Without public denunciation of Nnamdi Kanu’s continued political persecution thundering like a hammer on an anvil demanding his release and a dismissal of the manufactured charges with prejudice, the June 28 bail hearing will also be postponed ad infinitum. Nnamdi Kanu’s cruel punishment without trial will persist in notorious violation of the Nigerian Constitution and international law.

“You collectively, have a legal and moral duty to speak out publicly against this travesty of justice that daily inflicts great misery on the Biafran people. Do not become traitors to the noble cause. Risk a tiny fraction of what Nnamdi Kanu has risked to regain Biafran sovereignty. It was stolen by the British over a century ago and the Fulani have refused to restore it by resorting to genocide.

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READ ALSO: [JUST IN] Terrorism Charge: Nnamdi Kanu Heads To Appeal Court

“Silence is not acceptable. Neutrality between the firefighter and the fire is not an option. You cannot escape the judgment of history. Show you are made of sterner stuff than quislings.”

Recall that last June, Nnamdi Kanu was kidnapped, tortured for several days, and extraordinarily renditioned from Nairobi to Abuja in a criminal conspiracy between Nigeria and Kenya.

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Fein advised, “The conspiracy was part of an ongoing Nigerian genocide of Biafrans prohibited by the Genocide Convention. The aim is to exterminate them through killings, rape, plunder, starvation, theft of real and personal property, and a collective denial of livelihood.”

PUNCH.

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Tinubu Approves Portfolios For 5 NCDC Executive Directors

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President Bola Tinubu has approved portfolios for five executive directors on the board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).

Mr Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), made the announcement in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

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READ ALSO:Tinubu Names New VCs For Education Varsities In Zaria, Kano

The appointees and their portfolios are: Hajiya Biliquis Jumoke- Administration and Human Resources, Mrs Aisha Rufai Ibrahim-Commercial and Industrial Development.

Others are, Mr James Abel Uloko-Corporate Services, Prof. Muhammad Bashar-Finance and Atika Ajanah-Projects.

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The president urged the executive directors to work closely with the governing board of the commission to promote and coordinate sustainable development of the North-Central geopolitical zone.”

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Court Orders Arrest Of 2 Lawyers Over Alleged Forgery, Impersonation

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A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Apo, on Monday, issued a bench warrant against two lawyers charged with forgery and impersonation.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie made the arrest order following repeated failure of the defendants- Victor Giwa, and Ibitade Bukola- to appear before the court to enter their plea to the charge that was preferred against them by the Inspector General of Police.

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In the charge marked: CR/150/25, the duo were accused of conspiring to forge a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Prof. Awa U. Kalu, with the intent to mislead the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

According to the three-count charge, the alleged offence occurred on June 28, 2024.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Finnish Court Jails Simon Ekpa Six Years For Terrorism Offences

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The prosecution alleged that the defendants forged and signed a letter on the official letterhead of the SAN, requesting the AGF to suspend a scheduled arraignment.

The contentious letter, titled “Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023”, was allegedly addressed to the AGF.

It allegedly sought intervention of the AGF to halt an arraignment that was scheduled before trial Justice Samira Bature of the high court.

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The IGP, in the charge, maintained that the two lawyers committed offences punishable under Section 97, 179 and 364 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

READ ALSO:Ghana Jails Three Nigerians For 96 Years Over Car Theft

At the resumed proceeding of the court on Monday, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Eristo Asaph, noted that the defence lawyer told the court that the 1st defendant was bereaved, hence his absence for the scheduled arraignment.

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The prosecution counsel further noted that it was on the strength of an application by the defendant that the case was adjourned.

He, therefore, wondered why the duo were also absent in court for the case to proceed.

Responding, the defence counsel, Mr. Ogbu Aboje, told the court that the 1st defendant, Giwa, wrote a letter that was accompanied with a medical report dated September 3, indicating that he had a health challenge he described as “Degenerative disorder of the lumber vertebrae,” in addition to his hypertensive condition.

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READ ALSO:Men Can Take Wives’ Surnames —South Africa’s Top Court Rules

He added that the 2nd defendant equally went to the hospital on Monday morning to keep to a routine appointment for the immunisation of her daughter.

More so, he drew attention of the court to an application the defendants earlier filed to challenge its jurisdiction to entertain the case.

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Dissatisfied with the developments, the prosecution counsel urged the court to issue a warrant for the defendants to be arrested y security agencies and produced for their trial.

READ ALSO:My Ex-wife Refused To Pack Out Of My House After Our Marriage Was Dissolved, Man Tells Court

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that having listened to both parties, he was minded to accede to the prosecution’s request.

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He court stressed that the medical report did indicate that the 1st defendant would not be able to attend court, adding that the 2nd defendant did not adduce any material to justify her absence.

Consequently, relying on the provision of section 266 (2) and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Justice Onwuegbuzie issued a bench warrant for the defendants to be arrested and produced before the court on October 8.
(VANGUARD)

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Community Attributes Access Road To Reduction In Maternal Mortality In Bauchi

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A cross-section of residents in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has attributed the reduction in maternal mortality to the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of the Kirjaule–Lame roads.

Mr. Samila Jauro, who spoke on behalf of the community, made the disclosure during a media tour of ongoing Bauchi State projects in the area.

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He explained that in the past, no fewer than 50 pregnant women and their babies had lost their lives due to delays in accessing healthcare caused by the poor condition of roads.

We have lost many of our pregnant women and their unborn babies in the past because of bad roads.

READ ALSO: Malnutrition: Bauchi Govt Doles Out N300m To Fight Menace

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“But the present administration has changed our lives through its infrastructural development,” Jauro said.

While commending the state government, he appealed for the electrification of Kirjauke community.

We are grateful for the road project, but we still call on the governor to provide us with electricity.

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For the past 18 years, we have had no source of power,” he added.

The Bauchi State Government, through the Ministry of Works, in 2023 awarded a 40.5-kilometer road construction and rehabilitation projects in the aforementioned sites.

READ ALSO:Police Urge Bauchi Residents To Remain Calm Amidst Soldier’s Death In Bauchi

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Speaking on the progress of the projects, the Site Engineer, Mr. Ado Shehu, said the project had reached 75 percent completion.

The Kirjaule–Lame and Magama–Gumau roads were awarded at the end of November 2023.

“Some portions are already completed, while others are at the second layer and shoulder stage to ensure a successful outcome.

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“The duration of the project according to the contract is 36 months.

” But with 75 percent already completed, the project will be finished ahead of schedule,” he said.

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