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Lawmaker visits Nnamdi Kanu, resolves lawyers’ restriction

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Hon Obi Aguocha (r), Nnamdi Kanu (Middle) and a family member during the visit
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A lawmaker representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Abia State, Obi Aguocha, has visited the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The visit which took place on Thursday, October 24, 2024, is part of an ongoing effort to find a political solution to the continued detention of the IPOB leader.

Kanu, who was arrested on June 27, 2021, in Kenya and subsequently extradited to Nigeria, is facing charges of terrorism, treasonable felony, and inciting violence through his Radio Biafra, amongst others.

A statement issued on Saturday by the media team of the lawmaker noted that Aguocha was recently approached by Kanu’s legal team, complaining of its inability to interface with the detained IPOB leader.

The statement read in part, “A few days ago, the lawyers to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu reached out to his Honourable member, Obi Aguocha, representing Ikwuano, Umuahia North, and Umuahia South federal constituency. This was about the long-running difficulties being encountered by the legal team in their efforts to gain access and meet with their client.

“Hon Obi Aguocha took urgent steps in writing the Department of State Security and Tajudeen Abbas, Honourable Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, seeking their immediate intervention.

“A meeting of the aforementioned was positive to the effect that Hon Obi Aguocha having inquired from the DSS, who informed that the seeming pause to accessing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was occasioned by his lawyers asking the judge to recuse herself, which requires further legal process and is also known to both parties.

“Hon. Obi Aguocha had a physical audience with Nnamdi Kanu on Thursday, 24th of October 2024, in the company of an immediate family member, Ms Ezioma Stella Ikpo Hon. Obi Aguocha fully briefed Mazi Nnamdi Kanu about the circumstances during their meeting.”

The statement further noted that the legal team have now been granted access to Kanu.

“A resolution was reached regarding the lack of access to Nnamdi Kanu by his legal team, who hereby are granted the requisite access to their client”, the statement added.

It also commended the DSS leadership in its handling of the medical needs of Kanu, saying “Nnamdi Kanu is keeping well and looks strong.

“Hon Aguocha appreciates the commendable efforts of the new leadership of the DSS in ensuring that Nnamdi Kanu’s healthcare needs are met, including the approval of his request for access and attention to private medical care and to a doctor of his choice, to which Hon Obi Aguocha is pleased to confirm that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has received private medical attention as recently as October 3, 2024.

“Hon Aguocha deeply appreciates the uncommon and courageous effort of the Honourable Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives for his quick intervention, which has facilitated these positive outcomes.

“It should be noted that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s fundamental human rights as guaranteed under the 1999 Nigerian constitution as amended and other relevant instruments of the United Nations should be upheld.

“Hon Obi Aguocha remains optimistic that in the end, a political solution will be achieved, leading to the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and also for the peace and stability of the South-East.”

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Nigerian govt drops treason charges against EndBadGovernance protesters

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Nigerian govt drops treason charges against EndBadGovernance protesters
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Nigerian govt drops treason charges against EndBadGovernance protesters

 

The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the treason charges brought against the #Endbadgovernance# movement by the Inspector General of Police.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu dismissed the charges on Tuesday after they were withdrawn by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, on behalf of the federal government.

Fagbemi, SAN, represented by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), M.D. Abubakar, had announced during the proceedings the exercise of his powers under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to take over the case from the Inspector General of Police.

Upon the court granting the request, the AGF then invoked the same section of the Constitution to discontinue the trial of the 150 accused persons.

With no objections from the various lawyers representing the accused persons, Justice Egwuatu granted the request and struck out the charges.

Although the accused persons were not in court, the judge ordered their immediate release from prison remand.

President Bola Tinubu had on Monday directed the AGF to terminate the charges against the accused persons, most of whom are reportedly minors and legally exempt from such trials.

Details later.

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Uche Ogbodo Bemoans Devastating Burglary: Thieves Make Off with Over N50 Million Worth of Goods

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Uche Ogbodo Bemoans Devastating Burglary: Thieves Make Off with Over N50 Million Worth of Goods
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Uche Ogbodo Bemoans Devastating Burglary: Thieves Make Off with Over N50 Million Worth of Goods

Nigerian actress and entrepreneur Uche Ogbodo has been left reeling after her shop was targeted by thieves, resulting in a staggering loss of over N50 million.

In an emotional Instagram video, Uche revealed the shocking aftermath of the break-in, showcasing the hole cut through her shop’s ceiling.

The thieves made off with a substantial amount of merchandise, primarily men’s items.

Uche expressed frustration and despair, questioning the effectiveness of her shop’s security measures.

Photo source: Instagram

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Spain dreads more flood deaths as more rain expected

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Spanish rescuers plunged into inundated garages to find bodies on Monday, a day after furious crowds heckled and hurled mud at the king and the prime minister following devastating floods.

The toll stands at 217 dead — almost all in the eastern Valencia region — and Spain dreaded the discovery of more corpses in its worst such disaster in decades.

National weather service AEMET announced the end of the emergency for Valencia but placed part of the northeastern Catalonia region on the highest red alert for torrential rain on Monday.

Catalan trains were suspended until further notice, Transport Minister Oscar Puente announced on X, while flights were delayed and diverted at Barcelona’s El Prat airport.

The country grappled with the aftermath of an extraordinary outburst of popular anger directed at King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

The Civil Guard has opened an investigation into the chaos in the ground-zero town of Paiporta that cut short their visit on Sunday, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told public broadcaster TVE.

He blamed “marginal groups” for instigating the violence where mud spattered the monarchs’ face and clothes and broke a window of Sanchez’s car.

Organising the visit was “a collective mistake” as fringe groups hijacked raw emotions to endanger the royals, Sanchez and Valencia region leader Carlos Mazon, Puente told television channel La Sexta on Sunday.

The incident underscored growing anger at the authorities’ preparation for and response to the catastrophe.

Experts have questioned the warning systems that failed to alert the population in time and the speed of the response.

– ‘We were abandoned’ –

Thousands of soldiers, police officers, civil guards and firefighters spent a sixth day distributing aid and clearing mud and debris to find bodies.

But relief works only reached some towns days after the disaster and in many cases volunteers were the first to provide food, water, sanitation and cleaning equipment.

“We shouldn’t romanticise it: the people saved the people because we were abandoned,” said Jorge, a resident of the town of Chiva where the royals cancelled their visit on Sunday.

The applause should be for the volunteers, not “those who come just to take a picture and show off”, the 25-year-old told AFP.

Divers on Monday concentrated their search for missing bodies in garages and a multi-storey car park in the town of Aldaia capable of holding thousands of vehicles.

The storm caught many victims in their vehicles on roads and in underground spaces such as car parks, tunnels and garages where rescue operations are particularly difficult.

Local authorities extended travel restrictions for another two days to facilitate the work of the emergency services, cancelled classes in Valencia and urged citizens to work from home.

Storms coming off the Mediterranean are common for the season. But scientists have warned human-induced climate change is increasing the ferocity, length and frequency of extreme weather events.

“Politicians haven’t acted on climate change, and now we’re paying the consequences of their inaction,” environmental activist Emi, 21, told AFP in Chiva.

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