Metro
Stop Begging Tinubu For Nnamdi Kanu’s Release, IPOB Tells Igbo Leaders

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday frowned at what it calls the act of prominent Igbo men begging President Bola Tinubu for the release of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, instead of demanding his immediate and unconditional release.
The pro-Biafra group said Mazi Kanu is not a criminal, nor did he commit any crime that warrants people to be begging for his release, describing such begging by prominent Igbo men as disgraceful and unacceptable to IPOB.
IPOB, in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, titled “Stop begging Tinubu, Demand for the Immediate and Unconditional Release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu Now,” cited a recent instance of a prominent Igbo man begging Tinubu to release Mazi Kanu.
IPOB’s statement read, “The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, categorically rejects and condemns the shameful spectacle of Igbo figures, groveling before President Bola Tinubu with pleas and beggarly appeals for our leader’s ‘pardon’ or ‘release.”
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“Such cowardly submissions, as seen in one Idimogu’s recent public groveling, where he begged Tinubu to free Kanu as a political favor to boost APC’s 2027 fortunes and revive the South-East economy, reek of self-serving opportunism and betrayal.
“They insult the intelligence of the Biafran people, undermine the rule of law, and perpetuate the false narrative that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has committed any crime warranting mercy from a regime built on impunity.
“Let us be unequivocally clear: Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not a criminal in need of pardon. He is a prisoner of conscience, unlawfully abducted from Kenya on June 27, 2021, in blatant violation of Kenyan sovereignty, Nigeria’s Extradition Act 2004, and international treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
“Both Kenyan and Nigerian courts have affirmed this criminal abduction: the Kenyan High Court ruled it illegal, and Nigeria’s Court of Appeal, in its subsisting judgment of October 13, 2022, discharged Mazi Nnamdi Kanu outright, declaring no Nigerian court has jurisdiction to try him due to the jurisdictional nullity caused by his rendition.
READ ALSO:FG Closes Case In Alleged Terrorism Trial Against Nnamdi Kanu
“This appellate discharge, grounded in fundamental defects, stands as a final acquittal under Nigerian jurisprudence irrevocable unless explicitly stated “without prejudice,” which it was not (Suleman v. FRN, 2018; Mohammed v. State, 2017).
“The Supreme Court’s December 15, 2023, ruling, remitting the case for trial, is a per incuriam travesty, a nullity that cannot override the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“Section 36(9) enshrines ironclad protection against double jeopardy: no person discharged by a court of competent jurisdiction shall be tried again for the same offense. The highest law in Nigeria is the Constitution, not the Supreme Court, and any judgment flouting constitutional safeguards is dead on arrival.
“Furthermore, the charges rely on repealed laws (Terrorism Prevention Act 2011/2013), extinguished under Section 6(3) of the Interpretation Act 2004, with no savings clause to revive them (A.G. Federation v. A.G. Abia State, 2002; Okeke v. State, 2019).
“The de novo trial before Justice Omotosho, commencing March 29, 2025, where Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was forced to plead not guilty anew, is an absolute nullity—void ab initio for lacking jurisdiction.
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“Begging Tinubu, therefore, reinforces dictatorship and autocracy, portraying Nigeria as a lawless fiefdom where executive whims trump judicial finality. It signals weakness to our oppressors, implying Kanu is guilty when the law has exonerated him.
“IPOB warns all well-meaning individuals, Igbo leaders, and the public: Cease this degrading pleading immediately. It does not bode well for the rule of law; it smacks of complicity in state-sponsored terrorism and judicial banditry.
“Henceforth, demand for the immediate and unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He has been discharged and acquitted; no court, not even the Supreme Court, can subvert this without offending the Constitution and inviting anarchy.
“We call on all Biafrans, freedom-loving Nigerians, and the international community to amplify this demand: Obey the law, respect the Constitution, and free Kanu now! Failure to do so exposes the Tinubu regime’s contempt for justice and accelerates the inevitable collapse of this contrived contraption.
“IPOB will not fold its arms while our leader is intimidated into an unjust trial. We urge mass mobilization, including protests, legal actions, and global advocacy, to enforce the Court of Appeal’s verdict. Those who continue begging will be seen as enablers of oppression; history will judge you harshly.”
Metro
18-year-old OAU Medical Student Dies While Sleeping

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.
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.
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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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.
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.
Metro
Panic As BRT Bus Catches Fire On Third Mainland Bridge

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.
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.
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.
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.
As of the time this report was filed, the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.
Metro
Kwara Vigilante Men Arrested By Soldiers In Edo State Released

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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“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.
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.
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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