Metro

Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial: Court Okays FG’s Bid To Shield Witness Identities

Published

5 months ago

April 29, 2025

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has given the Federal Government the nod to shield identities of witnesses billed to testify against the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Trial Justice James Omotosho gave the approval in a ruling he delivered on Tuesday.

The ruling followed an ex-parte application that FG filed through its team of prosecutors led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN.

Specifically, the court, gave permission for the proposed witnesses to testify behind a screen with their real names replaced with acronyms.

FG’s lawyer, Awomolo, SAN, pleaded that identities of the witnesses needed to be protected for security reasons and in view of the serious nature of the case.

While the witnesses would be shielded from the public, they would however be seen by the judge.

The request was not opposed by Kanu’s team of lawyers led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN.

Sequel to the ruling, FG opened its case against the embattled IPOB leader by presenting its first witness, who was simply identified as PWAAA.

Kanu, whose trial started de-novo (afresh) following the reassignment of his case-file to Justice Omotosho, had earlier pleaded not guilty to a seven-count treasonable felony charge the government preferred against him.

It will be recalled that Justice Binta Nyako, who previously conducted the trial, recused herself from the matter after she was accused of bias by the defendant.

Kanu was first arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015, upon his return to the country from the United Kingdom, UK.

On April 25, 2017, the court granted him bail on health ground, after he had spent about 18 months in detention.

Upon the perfection of the bail conditions, he was on April 28, 2017, released from the Kuje prison.

However, midway into the trial, the IPOB leader escaped from the country after soldiers invaded his country home at Afara Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, an operation that led to the death of some of his followers.

Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021 and extraordinarily renditioned back to the country by security agents on June 27, 2021.

Sequel to the development, the trial court, on June 29, 2021, remanded him in custody of DSS, where he remained till date.

On April 8, 2022, the court struck out eight out of the 15-count charge that FG preferred against him on the premise that they lacked substance.

Likewise, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanu’s immediate release from detention even as it quashed the charge against him.

Dissatisfied with the decision, FG took the matter before the Supreme Court, even as it persuaded the appellate court to suspend the execution of the judgement, pending the determination of its appeal.

While deciding the appeal, the Supreme Court, on December 15, 2023, vacated the judgement of the appellate court and gave FG the nod to try the IPOB leader on the subsisting seven-count charge.

Metro

Stop Using Edo Money For Federal Roads, Residents Tell Okpebholo

Published

2 hours ago

October 7, 2025

Editor

Residents of Benin, the Edo State capital have urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to stop using money accruing to the state on federal government projects.

The residents, who frowned at the governor’s unrelenting efforts in fixing federal roads, lamented that most state-owned roads are in the state of disrepair.

According to the residents, roads in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) have failed and are not motorable, adding that several other state-owned roads have failed and are in need of urgent repairs.

An Activist and head of Talakawas Parliament, in Edo State, Kola Edokpaiyi, said it was ‘busy body’ that made Okpebholo to abandon state-owned roads that are crying for attention in favour of federal roads.

He said, “There are so many deplorable state roads in Edo State that are not motorable. We expect the Governor of Edo State to quickly give attention to them all before considering Federal Roads if the state is too rich.

“The Minister of Works, Mr. David Umahi has visited federal roads in Edo State about two times to ascertain how deplorable the roads are. He has already given the brief to Mr. President. We expect the Minister to swing into action based on the huge finance allocated by Federal Government to get the work done.

“I want to appeal to His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo to address the so many state roads that are bad.”

Also, a commercial driver, who plies between Ring Road and Ebvuotubu, Joseph Ikpigho, said he spent more money to fix his car due to bad roads.

Recall that Okpebholo has embarked on reconstruction of 23 kilometres of the Sapele Road axis of the East-West road.

He is also assisting the Federal Government to fix failed portions of the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi highway.

Metro

Fire Guts Section Of Rivers Secretariat

Published

20 hours ago

October 6, 2025

Editor

A section of the Rivers State Secretariat was on Monday evening gutted by fire, leaving parts of the complex damaged before it was brought under control.

The fire, which reportedly started a few minutes past 5 p.m., was contained through the swift response of the Rivers State Fire Service.

Eyewitnesses said the blaze spread rapidly before firefighters arrived at the scene to extinguish it, preventing further damage to nearby offices.

Although the cause of the fire has not been officially confirmed, preliminary reports suggest that an electrical fault may have triggered the incident.

The Rivers State Head of Service, Inyingi Brown, also attributed the outbreak to an electrical fault, urging workers to ensure that all electrical appliances are switched off before leaving the office.

An unconfirmed source indicated that the fire may have affected the state Pension Commission, though the extent of the damage remains unclear.

Authorities are yet to release an official statement on the full impact of the incident as investigations continue.

Metro

18-year-old Hangs Self, Police Launch Investigation

Published

2 days ago

October 5, 2025

Editor

The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the death of an 18-year-old identified as Tersoo Veregh, who allegedly took his own life in Makurdi, the state capital.

According to Zagazola Makama, the deceased’s father, Mr. Veregh Nathaniel, of Iorkyaako Street, High Level area of Makurdi, made the tragic discovery around 2:00 a.m. on October 4, when he stepped out of his room to ease himself and found his son hanging from the ceiling.

Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of ‘B’ Division, Makurdi, led a team of detectives to the scene. The body was photographed and later taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital mortuary.

Police authorities said an investigation has commenced to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.