The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra has continued with Justice James Omotosho sounding a note of warning against Aloy Ejimakor, a member of the defence team and others that are in the habit of posting live stream and Court documents on the social media.
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‎This comes on a day that the defense team continued with the cross examination of the government’s second witness, code named BBB in the ongoing terrorism trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
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‎The day’s proceedings began with lead counsel for the defence, Kanu Agabi, informing the Court of a letter by the lead counsel for the prosecution, Adegboyega Awomolo dated 14 May about illegal live streaming of court proceedings.
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‎He recommended that phones be banned from the courtroom. He laments the action of Aloy Ejimakor, a member of the defense team who posts misleading information on social media. He says the case is too serious for anyone to trivialise in the manner that it’s being done.
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‎In his intervention, Justice James Omotosho said he granted an accelerated hearing of the case in the interest of all parties, particularly for Nnamdi Kanu who has been in custody for too long.
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‎The judge charged all parties in the case to act professionally to ensure progress. He further warned Aloy Ejimakor to stop such conduct that may warrant the disbarring of a lawyer.
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‎Justice Omotosho therefore charged all parties in the case to avoid acts that amount to misconduct and watch what they post on social media.
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‎The actual case continued with the cross examination of Mr BBB (a personnel of the DSS) by Paul Erokoro who conducted proceedings on behalf of the defence.
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‎On whether the DSS can be influenced by politicians or ministers, the witness stated that the Agency is under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). He also clarified that the Attorney General does not teleguide the operations of the DSS.
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‎Asked on the mode of intelligence gathering by the DSS, the witness noted that the sources are many, including human, social media, among others.
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‎BBB further says owing to their mode of training, DSS operatives have the capacity to get information where necessary.
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‎Probed further, the witness said he was told by Nnamdi Kanu that he was ‘kidnapped’ from Kenya and returned to Nigeria in 2021. On allegations that the DSS carried out the act, Mr BBB stated that the agency lacks the powers to effect arrest beyond Nigeria’s borders.
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‎The witness therefore restated that Kanu, via his Radio Biafra broadcasts, incited violence, including during the ENDSARS protests in 2020. The witness adds that the defendant expressed readiness to make Biafra possible, by all means, including war.
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‎Mr BBB stressed that the inciting comments made by the IPOB leader led to the burning of a police station in Ebonyi State, a Lagos State High Court, and the cargo shed of the Murtala Mohammed Airport.
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‎The witness said the casualties from the inciting comments made by Kanu include an army couple killed and beheaded in Orlu by persons believed to be members of the ESN the military wing of IPOB. Another was a retired judge, Stephen Nnaji.
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‎At some point during cross examination, Paul Erokoro, sought adjournment, informing the Court that there is a video clip that the defense seeks to tender. He asked for some time to make that possible.
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‎Meanwhile, the Court admitted as evidence, certified true copies of judgments of three fundamental rights enforcement lawsuits instituted by Nnamdi Kanu.

These are those of the Abia State High Court of 19 January 2022, Federal High Court, Umuahia division delivered on 26 October, 2022 and another by the High Court of Enugu State, delivered on 26th October 2023.
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‎Justice James Omotosho subsequently adjourned the case till Thursday 22 May for the conclusion of the cross examination of the second prosecution witness.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered a bank account operated by a foreign national allegedly used to collect payments from Nigerians seeking to obtain a questionable six-week bachelor’s degree abroad.

The discovery was announced by ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, during a stakeholders’ advocacy event on asset tracing, recovery and management held Tuesday in Abuja.

The event was organised by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), with support from the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).

“Within some weeks, we were able to discover that a foreigner opened an account in Nigeria while Nigerian students were paying money into the account to obtain that six-week degree,” Aliyu revealed.

“We were able to track the account and obtain a civil forfeiture order. We have been trying to ensure that the culprits are brought to book, especially those that are beyond our shores.”

He called for greater synergy among anti-corruption agencies to ensure that perpetrators of financial crimes are not allowed to enjoy the proceeds of their actions.

Also at the event, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Dr. Abdullahi Bello, disclosed that an ongoing audit of over 10,000 public servants’ asset declarations has revealed that about 20 percent of them are false.

On a broader continental scale, the Director-General of GIABA, Edwin Harris, lamented the growing trend of illicit financial flows out of Africa.

Citing a report by former South African President Thabo Mbeki under the auspices of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, Harris noted that while $50 billion was previously estimated to be lost annually, the current figure now stands between $88 billion and $94 billion.

CeFTPI Executive Director, Umar Yakubu, said the event brought together key stakeholders from anti-graft institutions, civil society, the judiciary and international partners to develop innovative mechanisms for transparency, citizen engagement and accountability in asset recovery efforts.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has earmarked 19 days for projects commissioning in Abuja, as part of activities marking the second year anniversary of President Bola Tinubu.

This was part of the decisions taken at the 14th executive committee meeting of the FCT Administration which was chaired by Wike in Abuja on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

In a statement issued by the minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the commissioning of projects will commence on June 10, 2025, and will go on for 19 days.

Some of the projects scheduled for commissioning are the newly renovated Abuja International Conference Centre, Bus Terminals in Kugbo and Mabushi as well as Apo-Wassa road.

Others are N16 interchange and roads to connect Maitama through Katampe to Jahi, Inner Nothern Expressway from Ring Road 3 (Idu to Kubwa Road), CN8 from N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) to Court of Appeal, N20 Flyover Onnex Kubwa Road, and Life Junction to Ring Road III.

Also to be commissioned are Kabulsa-Takushara Access Road, Kabusa-Ketti Access Road, access road in Giri District, 15km Road from A2 Junction Abuja-Lokoja Road to Pai in Kwali Area Council, as well as the Ushafa, War College, and Army Checkpoint roads in Bwari Area Council.

Olayinka further disclosed that the FCT Executive Committee approved the award of contract for the upgrade of streetlights on Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway (Ring Road I).

The Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Richard Dauda, said the project was among the seven approved memos submitted by the FCDA for consideration.

Dauda explained that the project involves the upgrade of the obsolete streetlights on the Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway, a 14-kilometre 10-lane expressway from Maitama to Gudu.He said the upgrade became necessary following available new technology in street lightning.

He added that a hybrid street lighting system would be deployed to brighten the road and make it more secure and more motorable in the night.