Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

Aloy Ejimakor, lead counsel for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has rejected a request by the Federal Government to fix a date for the resumption of his client’s trial. Ejimakor disclosed the development in a tweet on Tuesday, noting that Kanu remains strong despite his continued detention, with three visitations allowed weekly. The Federal Government is prosecuting Kanu on a seven-count charge bordering on alleged treasonable felony and terrorism. The IPOB leader, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria. At the last court sitting on…

Retired military personnel have begun receiving credit alerts for the full payment of their long-overdue entitlements. As a result, they have started leaving the protest site and dismantling the canopies and chairs they had set up to block the entrance of the Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja. The retirees had barricaded the entrance to the Ministry of Finance in Abuja as early as 7 a.m., using canopies and chairs, to demand the full payment of their entitlements. Their actions prevented staff members from driving into the premises, forcing many to park their vehicles outside. This protest followed a similar…

A Ugandan military court resumed the trial of abducted veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye on Tuesday, with one of his defence lawyers taken into custody and detained for nine months. Besigye was snatched last year from neighbouring Kenya while in Nairobi to attend a book launch by Kenyan opposition politician and lawyer Martha Karua, according to his spouse and rights groups. The 68-year-old retired army colonel has been accused of possessing weapons and other offences in a military court. He appeared in court alongside his co-accused Obeid Lutale and accompanied by his lead lawyer, Karua, following Uganda’s decision to grant…

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated John Mahama on his swearing-in as Ghana’s president and said Nigeria will support the West African country.  Mahama was inaugurated on Tuesday in Accra, marking his return to office years after he served as Ghana’s president. Tinubu who was among world leaders at the event noted the friendship between him and Mahama, pledging Nigeria’s backing for Ghana. “President John Mahama and I share a deep friendship. My dear brother, I am here to work with you,” Tinubu who was a special guest said in his remarks at the event. “You know you can count on…

Arne Slot stressed Tuesday that contract issues for some of Liverpool’s top stars are not a distraction following stinging criticism of Trent Alexander-Arnold for his performance against Manchester United. The England defender, linked with a move to Real Madrid, was at fault for Lisandro Martinez’s opener in Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Anfield during a sub-par display. The right-back’s sloppy performance came during a long-running debate over his future with the Premier League leaders. The 26-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season, meaning he can now sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club. Spanish giants Real have reportedly…

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, over what he describes as inflammatory remarks directed at Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the same election. Atiku described Morka’s comments as a “disturbing emblem” of the current administration’s strategy to stifle opposition voices. He also expressed concern over the prolonged detention of Mahdi Shehu, a prominent government critic, and others, suggesting these actions indicate a shift toward authoritarian governance. “The choice of words used by the APC…

John Mahama was sworn in as the new President of Ghana on Tuesday during a ceremony held at Independence Square in Accra, the nation’s capital, where he gaffed calling Nigeria’s president, Bolanle Tinubu, the president of Ghana. During his inaugural address, Mahama made a notable error while acknowledging dignitaries present. Referring to President Tinubu, he mistakenly called him the “honourable president of the Federal Republic of Ghana.” Mahama succeeds Nana Akufo-Addo, who took over from him in 2017. This marks Mahama’s return to the presidency after seven years, following his victory in Ghana’s December elections.

Residents of Nottinghamshire, England have been left puzzled by the mysterious appearance of plates filled with peeled bananas left by the side of a road every month for over a year. The phenomenon occurs on the second day of each month in 2024, when a plate of bananas is found on a street corner in Beeston, across from a local church. The mystery began over a year ago at the intersection of Abbey Road and Wensor Avenue, and its purpose remains unclear. A local resident, Clare Short, discovered the pattern and noticed the bananas were consistently placed on the second…

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has ordered a dusk-to-dawn (from 7 pm to 6 am) curfew in the ancient town of Owo, the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area till further notice. This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan. The government’s action is coming after violent cult clashes and security disturbances in Owo which have led to loss of lives. “All residents are required to remain indoors during the curfew. Only essential services, such as hospitals, emergency services, and law enforcement, will be exempted from the curfew,” the statement read. According to…

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has pledged that those responsible for the tragic stampede that claimed the lives of 35 minors during a funfair at the Islamic High School, Basorun Ibadan, on December 18, 2024, will face trial. Speaking at the annual interfaith service marking the start of 2025, held at the Governor’s Office Secretariat, Makinde reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring justice for the victims and preventing such incidents in the future. Eight persons were earlier arrested in connection with the unfortunate incident. However, three including the ex-queen of the Ooni of Ife,  Naomi Ogunwusi, the owner of…