News
Kanu’s release: Tension as Buhari, Osinbajo, service chiefs, NSA meet
Dingyadi, who spoke alongside his counterpart in the Ministry of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said Kanu was only discharged.
He added that the Federal Government would explore other legal instruments to pursue the matter.
However, he noted that the council did not discuss a possible political route that Malami had raised last November.
The council, he said, only discussed the Appeal Court judgment, noting that solutions to such matters could be considered so far as they were not subjudice.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday upheld the appeal of the detained leader of the proscribed group and ordered his release.
But a statement signed by the AGF’s spokesperson, Dr. Umar Gwandu, asserted that “Kanu was only discharged and not acquitted.”
“Consequently, the appropriate legal options before the authorities will be exploited and communicated accordingly to the public,” the statement added.
Briefing journalists on Friday, Dingyadi echoed the AGF’s stance saying the Federal Government was considering other options.
“The issue of Kanu has also been raised and Council was briefed on the state of things on the matter and it was observed that Kanu was discharged, but he was not acquitted.
“So, the government is considering the appropriate action to be taken on the matter and Nigerians will be notified of the position that will be finally taken on the matter in due course,” the minister stated.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha; National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.); and the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, attended Friday’s meeting.
Also in attendance were the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouk Yahaya; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao and Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba.
The Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.); Director-General of the Department of State Service, Yusuf Bichi; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Samuel Adebayo were equally present.
Meanwhile, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lawyer to the IPOB leader, Kanu, has asked the AGF to comply with the order of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.
He also advised Malami to consider voluntary resignation for allegedly exposing the Federal Government to international embarrassment and ridicule.
He was responding to the statement by the Special Assistant (Media and Public Relations), to the AGF, Dr. Umar Gwandu, in reaction to the Appeal Court judgment which quashed the charges of terrorism preferred against him.
According to him, the reference by the AGF to the charge pending against Kanu before he left Nigeria in 2017 and the indication that the Federal Government may continue with the charge “really showed his total disconnect with the law, with greatest respect to his office.’’
Malami had said that the Federal Government was considering various legal options, including proceeding with the counts that were pending against Kanu before the invasion of his house by soldiers on September 14 2017.
He said, “I implore him to meticulously read the full judgment of the Court of Appeal, immediately comply with orders made therein and possibly consider the most appropriate option of voluntarily resigning, for exposing the Federal Government to this international embarrassment and ridicule.
“Now, for the avoidance of doubt, the Federal Government has no options. It has only one option, namely, to appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court. And the exercise of this latter option shall not constitute a bar to immediate compliance with the order of the Court of Appeal which directed the immediate and unconditional release of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“The order made by the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal is sacrosanct and must be obeyed immediately without further ado.’’
Arguing that no further charges can be sustained against his client, the defence lawyer stated, “On appeal, the Court of Appeal struck out the whole charge and held that the lower court had no jurisdiction to try Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
‘’That being so, that charge that has been pending against MNK since 2015 and contains counts of alleged offences committed by him before he escaped being killed in Nigeria in 2017, no longer exists. It has been struck out.’’
Ejiofor in a live Facebook broadcast also flayed the Department of State Services for not releasing his client 24 hours after the court orders, describing their action as illegal.
‘Release Kanu immediately’
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has said it was disappointed in the response of the AGF to the court judgment releasing Kanu.
The council spokesperson for the organisation, Chief Alex Ogbonnia said it would be in the interest of the nation to release Kanu following the order of the court.
Ogbonnia said, “As minister for Justice or Attorney General of the Federation, Malami is supposed to be in the position to assist the Presidency with good governance and justice. His duty, as a matter of fact, is to make sure there is justice. When we speak to this, there is nothing one can do without achieving peace.’’
Also, a socio-political organisation, Alaigbo Development Foundation, hailed the judgment, describing it as a positive development.
Its Secretary-General, Chief Abia Onyike, said, “It is a positive development. It shows that a peaceful resolution of the Igbo question in Nigeria is feasible.”
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
Hegseth made the disclosure during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, where he said the directive was issued about a year ago after Trump became aware of attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
He explained that the operation involved behind-the-scenes coordination and deployment of military assets, adding that intelligence gathered during the mission contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command, during a joint operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said.
According to him, the operation yielded significant results in the fight against terrorism in the region.
“And we got the assets there, and over the last month, and there hasn’t been much coverage of this, we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who’s most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he stated.
Hegseth added that working on the Intel gathered, they have killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria.
The U.S. defence chief described the operation as part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to counterterrorism efforts and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“So there are a lot of things we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things that the President empowers the Department to do on behalf of the American people that he deserves great credit for,” Hegseth stated.
ISIS second in command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed in a coordinated U.S.-Nigeria military operation in northeast Nigeria earlier this month.
-
Crime5 days agoNigeria’s Army General, wife kidnapped by gunmen
-
Foreign4 days agoNigerian Catholic priest convicted in US for sexual assault
-
Crime3 days agoOyo abduction: Teachers begin strike as Tinubu sends 1,000 forest guards to rescue victims
-
Education3 days agoEnugu East Chairman Celebrates Children’s Day with St. Ann’s College, Reaffirms Commitment to Education
-
News3 days ago
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
-
Crime3 days ago
US Announces $3.5m Religious Freedom Initiative, Questions Nigeria’s Response to Attacks
-
EverydayNews Telescope4 days agoThree Years On the Saddle : The Governor Peter Mbah score card that is a tall order
-
Crime3 days ago2 Police Officers Shot Dead as Gunmen Attack Anambra Chief of Staff’s Convoy