Judiciary

BREAKING: Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyers Withdraw from Case

By Web News 476

Kanu Agabi, former Attorney-General of the Federation and lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday, applied to withdraw his representation in the ongoing terrorism trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Kanu is facing trial on a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism, filed against him by the Federal Government.

When the matter was called on Thursday, Agabi informed the court that he would no longer be representing the IPOB leader, adding that the defendant had decided to take back the case from them.

In the same manner, all the Senior Advocates of Nigeria involved in the case also announced their withdrawal from the case.

Kanu, confirming the development, told the court that he would be representing himself for now, but noted that the position might change later.

The trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, asked whether he should assign a lawyer to represent him, but the defendant (Kanu) declined.

Meanwhile, addressing the court orally to open his defence, Kanu argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to try him.

Recall that Justice Omotosho, on October 16, granted the defendant six consecutive days, beginning from October 23, to open and close his defence in view of the accelerated hearing earlier granted in the case.

Kanu had listed former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd); a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), and others as part of his witnesses.

Punch/Olaolu Fawole

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Security

Soldiers killing: Army Goes Tough on IPOB Members in Abia

By Web News 361

Troops of the Nigerian Army on Operation UDO KA conducted a raid on an Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, camp located in Igboro Forest in Abia State on Saturday.

According to a statement posted on X.com by the NA on Sunday, the raid was conducted in order to arrest the killers of five soldiers at Obikabia junction in Aba last week.

The statement read, “In order to apprehend the perpetrators of the attack on own troops (three out of those killed are from the SE) at Aba last week as well as to recover arms and ammunition from the Indigeneous People of Biafra and its affiliate Eastern Security Network terrorist group, troops of Operation UDO KA conducted another successful clearance/raid operations to the IPOB/ESN Camp in Igboro Forest in Arochukwu LGA of Abia State yesterday.”

The statement disclosed that during the operation, the troops subdued the IPOB group in a firefight, killing six members of the group.

It added, “During the intelligence-led operation, troops encountered Improvised Explosive Devices along the axis of advance, and one soldier sustained a minor injury from the fragment.

“The terrorists’ feeble firefight was adequately subdued with superior firepower, which led to the neutralisation of six members of the criminal terrorist group while others escaped into adjoining bushes with varying degrees of gunshot wounds as blood stains were seen along their escape routes.”

The soldiers were also reported to have recovered weapons, including three locally fabricated rocket-propelled grenade launchers, two locally fabricated artillery guns with tripod and bombs.

Additionally, recovered Dane guns, Biafran flags, and vehicles were reported to have been burnt and the camp itself was destroyed.

In the statement, the Joint Task Force Operation UDO KA urged Abia residents to continue providing security forces with credible and timely information to aid in eliminating criminals in the state and wider southeastern region.

It was reported that the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, increased the N25 million bounty placed on the killers of the soldiers in Aba to N30 million.

Otti added that the state government had also started working with the security agencies to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the state.

Punch / Titilayo Kupoliyi