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Nnamdi Kanu sues FG, DSS DG over ‘refusal to obey court order’ on visitation

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Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has commenced contempt proceedings against the federal government for failing to obey a court order.

Kanu through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, filed Form 49 titled: “Notice to Show Cause Why An Order Of Committal Should Not Be Made,” before the Abuja federal high court on Monday.

 

The federal government and Yusuf Bichi, director-general of the Department of States Services (DSS), are the respondents in the suit.

 

Kanu is standing trial on a seven-count charge bordering on treasonable felony as preferred against him by the federal government.

 

On May 20, Binta Nyako, presiding judge, dismissed another bail application filed by Kanu.

 

Nyako also refused Kanu’s plea to be transferred from the custody of the DSS to prison.

 

The defendant’s request to be placed under house arrest was also rejected.

 

However, the court ordered the DSS to always grant Kanu access to his lawyers — not exceeding five persons on every visiting day.

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The court ordered that Kanu must be given “a clean place” to consult with his lawyers at the DSS detention facility, adding that he must be granted access to a doctor of his choice.

 

But Ejimakor has accused the DSS of refusing to obey the court order.

 

“On every visitation made to the applicant at the State Security Services detention facility (headquarters, Abuja) after the issuance and service of the said order and Form 48 thereof, you have not allowed applicant’s counsel to go in with writing materials to take notes of their discussions (between the applicant and his lawyers) relating to the preparation of the applicant for his defence,” the court process read.

 

“You have not complied with the 3 (three) days per week visitation to the applicant as was ordered by the court.

 

“You have not provided a safe and “clean” room to the applicant at the present facility to prepare for his defence with his team of counsel.

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“You have not allowed such facility that is required for the preparation of the applicant’s defence, which facility you have disallowed on every visitation since the said order was entered.”

 

Ejimakor further stated that the DSS has also refused to allow “interdiction, seizure, perusal and photocopying of legal documents relating to the trial preparation of the applicant”.

 

“Refusing certain visitors to the applicant, including those that are applicant’s potential witnesses and/or who possess information critical to the adequate preparation of the applicant’s defence to the criminal charges pending against him, particularly as it pertains to cross-examination of prosecution witnesses and authentication/impeachment of prosecution’s documentary evidence.”

 

The court is yet to fix a date for hearing.

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Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: FG terminates Julius Berger’s Abuja-Kaduna road contract

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1. The Federal Government has terminated the contract for the Rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, Section I (Abuja-Kaduna) from Julius Berger Construction company. A statement by the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Works, Mohammed Ahmed, said the decision followed the failure of the management of Berger to show up for a meeting to fine-tune the contract worth N740bn, which the company rejected.

 

2. President Bola Tinubu on Monday swear in the seven newly-appointed ministers at the Council Chambers in Abuja.

 

3. Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested a former Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa. He was arrested for allegedly diverting N1.3 trillion belonging to the state Government.

 

4. The federal government on Monday announced the removal of universities and other state-owned tertiary institutions from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS. This was made known by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, OAGF.

READ  Major news headlines in the papers today: IPOB accuses AGF Malami of destroying justice system

 

5. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday said the debt servicing to revenue ratio has further dropped to 65 per cent. He spoke during the inauguration of seven new ministers into the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The new figure is an improvement on the 68 per cent, given by the President in his October 1 Independence Day broadcast to the nation.

 

6. The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein, has said the government did not give a directive to workers to change their salary accounts. The AGF was reacting to a news report that workers had been directed to change a particular financial institution registered on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform as their salary accounts.

 

7. All the minors detained in connection with the August 1 cost of living protest are to be released on the order of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Information and National Orientation Minister Mohammed Idris announced on Monday.

READ  Amnesty International accuses security forces of killing 115 IPOB members

 

8. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has stated that there is no going back on President Bola Tinubu’s reforms in the forex, as well as the oil and gas sector. Edun made the disclosure when he received the newly assigned minister of state for finance, Doris Uzoka Anite at the Ministry’s headquarters, on Monday.

 

9. Operatives of the Bauchi State Police Command have neutralised six suspected kidnappers in some villages and in the Burra Mountain area, all situated within Ningi Local Government Area of the state. The Commissioner of Police, Auwal Musa Muhammad disclosed this when he paraded the suspects.

 

10. The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria says the Dangote Petroleum Refinery is inconsiderate for selling petrol at N990/litre, stressing that the company enjoyed massive concessions while accessing foreign exchange during its construction. PETROAN also insisted that imported petrol was cheaper than the N990/litre price of Dangote petrol. Major marketers recently revealed that the landing cost of imported petrol as of October 31, 2024, was N978/litre.

READ  Peter Obi ‘inflaming religious, ethnic passion’ for political ambition, says Bayo Onanuga

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Tinubu orders probe of security agents involved in arrest, detention of minors

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President Bola Tinubu has directed an investigation into the arrest and arraignment of minors detained for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests.

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, told State House correspondents that the president issued the directive to Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice.

Idris said the president has directed the immediate release of all minors arraigned over their involvement in hunger protest.

He added that Tinuhu also asked the humanitarian affairs ministry to rehabilitate the minors.

“Second, the president has also directed the ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction to immediately see to the welfare of those minors, and also take part to ensure their smooth reunion with their parents or guardians wherever they are in the country,” Idris said.

“Number three, the president has directed that a committee will be set up immediately to be headed by the ministry of humanitarian affairs

READ  Hunger protest: Banks, other businesses shut

“It’s actually an administrative committee, to look at all issues surrounding the arrest, detention, the treatment, and finally the release of these young minors.

“Fourthly, the president has also directed that all the law enforcement agents involved in the arrest and the legal processes will be investigated.

“And if there are any infractions found to have been committed by any official of government, be him a law enforcement agency or whoever that person may be, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against him or her.”

In August, many Nigerians across different states staged #EndBadGovernance protest against the state of the station.

The 10-day protest turned violent in some states  with protesters, leading to looting and destruction of public and private properties.

Many of the protesters were also seen waving Russian flags in some northern states.

On November 1, the police arraigned 76 persons, mostly malnourished minors, for alleged involvement in the protest, charging them with treason.

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However,  four of the minors collapsed n court.

The minors’ arraignment ignited public outcry on social media, leading to demands for their release, after which the attorney-general asked the police for the case files.

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BREAKING: EFCC arrests ex-Delta Gov Okowa for alleged fraud

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Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a former Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, for alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion 13% derivation fund from the federation account between 2015 and 2023.

 

An EFCC source confirmed the former governor’s arrest on Monday.

 

Okowa was arrested on Monday, November 4, 2024, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when he reported at the Port Harcourt Directorate of the EFCC on the invitation of investigators handling his matter.

 

The former governor was alleged to have failed to render accounts of the funds as well as another N40 billion he allegedly claimed he used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.

 

Specifically, Okowa allegedly bought shares worth N40 billion in one of the major banks in the country representing 8% equity to float the offshore LNG. The funds were alleged to be used for other purposes.

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Investigators are also investigating the diversion of funds by the former governor to acquire estates in Abuja and Asaba in Delta state.

 

He is being held at the EFCC holding facility in Port Harcourt.

 

Okowa was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election.

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