News
Judge Nyako Withdraws from Kanu’s Trial; See Reasons
▪︎File photo: Nnamdi Kanu and his lawyers
A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Binta Nyako, on Tuesday, withdrew from presiding over the trial of detained leader of the proscribed indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB- Nnamdi Kanu.
Judge Nyako withdrew from the case after Kanu requested from the dock that she hand off his trial for lack of confidence in her capacity to give him a fair hearing.
Although, Kanu’s lawyer, Mr. Alloy Ejimakor, tried to persuade the court to suspend the trial on the basis that his client was denied the opportunity to prepare his defence, Kanu, sprang up from his seat and ordered him to sit down.
“Sit down! I say you should sit down!” Kanu bellowed from the dock.
“My lord, I have no confidence in this court anymore and I ask you to recuse yourself because you did not abide by the decision of the Supreme Court.
“I can understand it if the DSS refuses to obey a court order, but for this court to refuse to obey an order of the Supreme Court is regrettable.
“I am asking you to recuse yourself from this case,” Kanu stated.
Judge Nyako withdrew from the case after Kanu requested from the dock that she hand off his trial for lack of confidence in her capacity to give him a fair hearing.
At this juncture, the prosecution counsel, Mr Adegboyega Awomolo, urged the court to ignore Kanu’s position, insisting that the Supreme Court directed that he should be tried on the pending seven-count charge.
“The Justices ordered this court to proceed with the hearing of the charge against the defendant.
My lord, you should not recuse yourself on the basis of this mere observation which does not have anything to do with the Supreme Court. It is an incompetent observation. We urge this court to proceed with the hearing,” FG’s lawyer submitted.
Not done, Kanu, rose again from the dock, waving a copy of what he described as the subsisting judgement of the Supreme Court.
He read a portion where the apex court held that actions of the trial court in the matter “rendered the impartiality of the judge suspect.”
“But my lord, you know that I love you. It is just that this court is allowing the defence to railroad me into a trial that is at variance with every provision of the Constitution,” Kanu added.
After she had expressed her dissatisfaction with the development, Justice Nyako said she was not willing to continue with the case.
” I hereby recuse myself and remit the case file back to the Chief Judge,” she held.
News
FIRS says NIN to serve as Tax ID for individuals
The new tax law is scheduled to come into force in January 2026 and mandates the use of a Tax ID for certain financial and economic transactions, including banking-related activities.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has announced that the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will now automatically serve as the Tax Identification Number (Tax ID) for individual Nigerians under the country’s new tax regime.
FIRS also said that registered businesses will also no longer need a separate Tax Identification Number, as their Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration (RC) number will now function as their Tax ID.
The Service made the disclosure on its official X handle on Monday, ahead of the passage of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), one of the new tax laws introduced as part of the Federal Government’s broader fiscal and tax reform agenda .
The new tax law is scheduled to come into force in January 2026 and mandates the use of a Tax ID for certain financial and economic transactions, including banking-related activities.
News
Tanker crushes Akpabio’s dispatch rider to death
We went to Oyo State for the installation of our colleague, but the vehicles that came to pick me up at the Ibadan airport, unfortunately, my dispatch rider was run over by a tanker driver, and his head was shattered.
Ibrahim Hussaini, a dispatch rider attached to the convoy of Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, has been killed after a petrol tanker rammed into the motorcade.
Although the Senate President did not state the precise location of the crash, he said that it happened in Ibadan, Oyo State, shortly after members of his convoy picked him up from the Ibadan Airport.
Akpabio announced the death during the plenary on Tuesday; he extended condolences to the family of the deceased.
Dispatch riders, who are police officers, form part of the security detail of top government officials and typically escort convoys on motorcycles.
Dispatch riders, who are police officers, form part of the security detail of top government officials and typically escort convoys on motorcycles.
“We went to Oyo State for the installation of our colleague, but the vehicles that came to pick me up at the Ibadan airport, unfortunately, my dispatch rider was run over by a tanker driver, and his head was shattered.
“We just buried him 15 minutes ago in Kogi State. He left two wives and four children,” the Senate President told lawmakers
News
Public holidays: FG declares December 25, 26, and January 1
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the public holidays on behalf of the Federal Government.
The Federal Government has declared Thursday, December 25, and Friday, December 26, as well as Thursday, January 1, 2026, as public holidays to mark the Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year celebrations.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the public holidays on behalf of the Federal Government.
In a statement by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Interior, Dr Magdalene Ajani, the minister extended warm Christmas and New Year felicitations to Christians in Nigeria and across the world.
He extended the same gestures “to all Nigerians as they celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of a new one”.
Tunji-Ojo urged Christians to reflect on the virtues of love, peace, humility, and sacrifice as exemplified by the birth of Jesus Christ, noting that these values are critical to promoting unity, tolerance, and harmony in the nation.
FIRS says NIN to serve as Tax ID for individuals
Tanker crushes Akpabio’s dispatch rider to death
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