Crime
Mayhem Escalates in South-East over Sit-At-Home Order as FG refuses to release Nnamdi Kanu

The plights, fears and despair of Southeast residents and Ndigbo in general is far from over, as the Federal Government of Nigeria has refused to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
This is because the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration has seemingly adopted a silent and indifferent stance amid continued appeals and violent protests in the Southeast for the release of Kanu, who has been in detention as a prisoner of conscience since June 2021.
Kanu’s detention came after his extraordinary rendition from Kenya. He was then thrown into the Department of State Services (DSS) cell during the former Muhammadu Buhari presidency.
According to the then Buhari government, Kanu was arrested abroad and brought back to answer for a 15-count terrorism-related charges. And while many, especially critics applauded the government’s move, claiming that Kanu’s rhetoric exacerbates ethnic tensions and threatens national unity, some others argued that the IPOB leader was only championing the rights of the marginalised Igbo people and calling attention to the perceived injustices they face within Nigeria.
Amid the polarised debate on the detention of Nnamdi Kanu, a long-drawn legal tussle ensued between the IPOB leader’s legal team and the federal government of Nigeria.
And in October 2022, the Abuja Division of the Appeal Court discharged and ordered the release of Kanu, citing that the government lacked jurisdiction to prosecute the IPOB leader due to a faulty extradition process.
However, the government brazenly rejected the ruling and got the Appeal Court to reverse itself by issuing a stay-of-execution order on its judgement.
Nnamdi Kanu has been detained for two years, and the FG appears uncommitted to bringing the IPOB founder’s case to a swift conclusion.
Prominent Igbo leaders and foreign organisations had pleaded with the government to free Kanu, but their cries went unanswered.
This situation further fueled cries and beliefs of segregation against the Igbos under the then Buhari-administration. And this brought double jeopardy in the southeast, as armed gangs unleashed mayhem on government officials and enthroned terror upon innocent residents through enforced routine sit-at-home orders.
These wanton carnages have grounded economic, political and social activities in the region.
However, the advent of the Tinubu government on May 29, 2023, has not only ignited hope that the Igbos would be treated fairly by his government, but also renewed calls and pressures for Nnamdi Kanu’s release.
Barely one month into his administration, Tinubu has had conversations with several concerned groups such as Governors Charles Soludo of Anambra State and Peter Mbah of Enugu State, plus the President-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo on the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
Last week, Governor Mbah after a closed-door meeting with the President in Abuja, disclosed that he urged President Tinubu to give utmost consideration towards extending a hand of fellowship to the South-East people through the release of Kanu.
Mbah said that the South East identified with President Tinubu’s promise that he’ll engender national healing and serve the country with compassion.
“So, we’ve basically informed him that this would serve as a pointer to his administration’s extension of hands of fellowship,” the Governor said.
In the same vein, retired army officer Hassan Stan-Labo, a security expert, on Wednesday, joined the raging calls on President Tinubu to release Kanu to end rising insecurity in the southeast.
Stan-Labo during an interview warned that the continued detention of Kanu will make him a hero.
“Frankly speaking, further incarceration of Kanu will only make him more and more relevant, only heightens the hero worship over him,” he said.
Also, Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, urged Tinubu not to behave like his predecessor who took calls for self-determination as a personal vendetta against Kanu.
Ejimakor in a tweet he made on Wednesday, said Kanu’s self-determination was against the Nigerian State and not Tinubu.
“The demand for self-determination is not personal. It is a demand on the Nigerian State, not against its President. It was Buhari that took it personally to the point that he killed & renditioned for it. President Tinubu should be smart enough not to repeat the same mistake. RONU.
“If you are offended by INJUSTICE, regardless of your tribal affiliation, raise your voice for the immediate release of MAZI NNAMDI KANU and all prisoners of conscience President Tinubu (@officialABAT) inherited from Buhari. Your silence is not golden. Please speak up! Thank you,” Ejimakor’s tweet read.
Amidst the influx of appeals on Tinubu, tough-talking Finland-based Biafra agitator, and self-acclaimed disciple of Kanu, Simon Ekpa dismissed moves by southeast governors to end the routine Monday sit-at-home and ordered a one-week lockdown of the southeast region to protest the IPOB leader’s continued detention.
And even with the harsh consequence of these lockdowns on residents, Ekpa and his supporters insist on it and would go on a warpath with anyone that dissuades people from obeying the sit-at-home order.
The seven-day lockdown which entered Day-4 on Thursday is generating apprehension in the entire southeast. On Tuesday, communities in Ebonyi State were thrown into turmoil as armed hoodlums who were reportedly enforcing the sit-at-home order, set ablaze a police van at Ukwagba village and shot sporadically to scare citizens away from ever coming out.
The hoodlums stormed the Ukwagba police checkpoint and told officers to vacate, and thereafter burnt the police van. They also stormed the Ishieke police checkpoint and shot sporadically which made police officers in the area scamper for their lives.
Furthermore, the hoodlums allegedly raided the Afiaohu market located along Abakaliki/Enugu Express and allegedly shot into the air to force business owners in the market to flee, leaving their wares behind.
Again on Wednesday in Enugu state, the residents were thrown into serious tension and fear as unknown gunmen reportedly moved around many parts of the State to enforce the one-week sit-at-home declared by Ekpa.
The gunmen, who had their faces covered with masks, drove in a Siena vehicle, as well as tricycles, shooting sporadically at the New Market axis of the State, Artisan, Emene, New Haven, Abakpa, Agbani Road and NOWAS.
Imo State has not been left out, with the gunmen also storming several places to force the people back to their homes.
With all the carnage, protests in the southeast, plus passionate appeals for Kanu’s release, the Nigerian government’s body language appears unperturbed, as President Tinubu has maintained sealed lips to the ranging clamours. And this has left Nigerians proffering more reasons why the MNK should be released.
For Monday Ubani, Chairman, Section of Public Interest and Development (SPIDEL) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the continued detention of MNK is not only worrisome but a clear indication that judges are no longer interested in the issues of liberty of citizens.
According to Ubani, “the Issue of freedom of an individual is very important. Maybe I will recommend that some of our justices should go to prison and spend one month, and lose their freedom, to appreciate why enforcement of fundamental human rights of an individual should be taken seriously.
He added that, “There was a time when you filed a fundamental human rights suit and got an expeditious hearing. But now you file a fundamental right matter or even bail application, the person has not been convicted and he is there for months. And there is no interest by justices to grant freedom to someone who has not been convicted.
“Nnamdi Kanu has been in prison for almost two years now. And there is no hurry on the part of judges to ensure that this matter is handled.
“So I join in appealing to the President to come up with a political solution and hand over Nnamdi Kanu to Igbo leaders and stakeholders in the Southeast with an agreement that Nnamdi Kanu should maintain the peace. I believe that Nnamdi Kanu has learnt his lesson.
“We need to bring back sanity in the southeast because some criminals are using this opportunity of Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration to cause havoc in the eastern region citing Kanu’s incarceration as the reason.
“One of the ways to solve this is to release Kanu so we can now get the criminals causing the havoc in the southeast. I think that the President, for the sake of reconciling and healing Nigeria’s wounds, let him release MNK and find a political solution to this problem rather than allow the young man to linger in prison, even when he has not been found culpable. So the judiciary has to live up to expectation,” Ubani said.
Also, Sonnie Ekwowusi, a legal practitioner and Chairman, of the Human Rights Committee of the African Bar Association, admonished President Tinubu to curb the cries of discontent and secession of any region in Nigeria with good governance.
“People and groups agitate for the breakup of Nigeria because of injustices. Injustice angers people and makes them want to go their separate ways, as you can see in the case of MNK who call for self-determination for the southeast region, but ended up being clamped in prison by the Buhari government.
“Self-determination is recognised in the African Charter. MNK did not commit any crime that is worse than what the Fulani herdsmen have been doing in various parts of the country. Yet nobody has prosecuted the Fulani herdsmen.
“People are calling on the Tinubu government to show inclusion, balance and a no-victor-no-vanquish posture by first releasing Kanu.
“The President should also ensure true federalism in Nigeria. He should give every region a sense of belonging. And with these, more Nigerians will be at peace with his government,” Ekwowusi added.
Crime
Lynched Edo travellers: Governors move against reprisals as 16 slain hunters buried

Tears flowed on Saturday in Uromi, Edo State, as the remains of the hunters who were lynched by a mob were interred.
Members of the Hausa community converged on the community cemetery to pay their last respects to the victims, who were burnt to death on Friday after being accused of being kidnappers.
It was earlier reported that the men were travelling in a Dangote Cement truck when they were intercepted around 1.30pm by local security guards.
After the guards searched the truck and found dane guns, they raised the alarm, which triggered the mob attack.
‘19 hunters buried’
A video of the funeral rites posted on X by a security analyst, Zagazola Makama, showed the moment the victims were buried.
The 1 minute 29 seconds clip captured members of the Hausa community in a solemn mood as the wrapped corpses were placed beside large graves.
The man filming the burial, who spoke in Hausa, said, “Assalamualaikum, this time we will pray for the bodies of our brothers who were killed for us—those who were massacred. May God bless them with mercy, forgive them, and accept their martyrdom for the sake of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
“Here is the Muslim community; they have gathered now and will be offering funeral prayers for our brothers who were killed. Now, we will offer the prayer for them.
”An imam subsequently began praying on the bodies, marking the commencement of the rites.
The man behind the filming said the death toll had increased to 19.
“Remember yesterday (Friday): the bodies of three people were brought to us, and we were able to pray for them. But now, 16 more corpses have also been brought, and we will pray for them. May God Almighty forgive them.
“Look at their graves here. Because there are so many of them, it is not possible to dig individual graves for each one. Instead, they will be buried together in one place,” he stated.
The security analyst, Makama, said a mother clutched to the grave’s edge as she lamented the killing of her son.
“My son was not a kidnapper! He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!” she sobbed.
He also said a father held to the photograph of his slain son.
The Ojuromi of Uromi, Anselm Aidenojie II, who visited the Hausa community alongside Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, during the burial, condemned the killings, noting that security agencies were taking measures to avert reprisals.
Aidenojie stressed that those responsible for the killings would be brought to justice.
“They (the victims) have been buried, and hopefully, this will never happen again in our community or anywhere else,” he added.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, in a statement, had said 14 suspects were arrested in connection with the incident.
Northern governors move to stop reprisals
Meanwhile, it was gathered that northern governors had started making moves to strengthen peace and forstall reprisals in the region.
The Director-General (Press Affairs) to the NGF Chairman and Governor of Gombe State, Ismaila Misili, said, “Let me unequivocally state that there is no tension in the North over the unfortunate incident in Edo State.
“Recall that northern governors, through their Chairman and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, had already issued a statement calling for calm and restraint.
“Individual governors in the North have also proactively engaged with relevant stakeholders to ensure peace, especially ahead of the Eid el-Fitr celebrations.
“Religious leaders also continue to promote peaceful coexistence and discourage any actions that might disrupt the harmony we have worked diligently to establish.
”Also, the Nasarawa State Government, while condemning the killings, called on security agencies to prosecute the perpetrators.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, said security agencies had been placed on red alert to safeguard all 13 LGAs in the state.
He urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding, warning that anyone found disturbing the peace would be arrested.
“Governor Abdullahi Sule has said that no matter what, we must maintain peace in Nasarawa State. We have no room for such dastardly acts as seen in Edo.
“Security agencies have been placed on red alert to ensure that nothing untoward happens anywhere in the state regarding any reprisal attacks,” he said.
But the Borno State Government said it was still assessing the situation.
Speaking with newsmen, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said the state had yet to receive any directive from the Northern Governors’ Forum.
Meanwhile, the Borno State Police Command said it had stepped up security patrols for the Sallah celebration.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, said strategic police deployments had been made to maintain order.
“What we currently have on the ground is Sallah preparation. We have deployed personnel in strategic positions. We are also conducting a show of force, which involves patrolling to ensure visibility.
This will help prevent any incidents that could lead to unrest, particularly those with religious undertones,” Daso said.
Politician places bounty on suspects
On social media, there was palpable anger among the Arewa on Saturday as some individuals also took to X, sharing images of some of the suspected attackers and placing N1m bounty on them.
A Social Democratic Party member based in Abuja, Ibrahim Sanusi, was among those spearheading the movement.
While posting on his verified X handle, he wrote, “N1million reward for anyone who can identify these criminals and provide information leading to their arrest. If you have any information, please come forward. #JusticeForUromi16.”
As of the time of filing this report, over 1,500 tweeps had retweeted the post, while it had gathered 3,600 likes and 124 quotes.
However, the Coalition of Northern Groups and the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum condemned the resort to self-help, warning that it could escalate tension across the country.
The CNG National Coordinator, Jamilu Charanchi, acknowledged that while the killing of innocent hunters was reprehensible, law enforcement agencies must be allowed to handle the matter.
“All we demand is for the police to expedite investigations so that the real perpetrators can be identified and brought to justice. This will help reduce tensions in the North,” he stated.
Charanchi further argued that no individual or group had the right to place a bounty on anyone, stressing that the law must take its course.
Similarly, the AYCF President, Yerima Shettima, cautioned against any form of retaliation, stressing that justice must be pursued within the framework of the law.
Northerners petition Tinubu, IGP, othersMeanwhile, Sanusi and over 100 others have launched a petition on Change.org, addressed to President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and Edo State Governor, Okpebholo.
As of 7pm on Saturday, no fewer than 273 people had signed the petition, demanding justice for the victims.
Crime
UK to ban selling weapons to children
The ninja sword ban is the final part of the so-called Ronan’s law, a raft of anti-knife crime measures introduced in parliament last month as part of the government’s crime and policing bill.

∆ UK PM Keir Starmer
The UK Home Office said on Thursday that from August 1, anyone caught in possession of a ninja sword in private could face six months in prison.
The forthcoming ban is intended to curb what the British government has called a “national” knife crime “crisis”.
The Home Office said most ninja swords had a blade of between 14 and 24 inches (36 and 61 centimetres), with one straight cutting edge and a tanto style — or sharply-angled — tip.
The Home Office said that there is already a penalty of up to four years in prison for carrying any weapon in public.
The ninja sword ban is the final part of the so-called Ronan’s law, a raft of anti-knife crime measures introduced in parliament last month as part of the government’s crime and policing bill.
The measures include making retailers report bulk or suspicious sales to police and a rise in jail terms to two years for selling weapons to children.
The law is named after teenager Ronan Kanda, who was murdered with a ninja sword in 2022 by two other teenagers in a case of mistaken identity.
Crime
JUST IN: Kogi jailbreak: 3 fleeing inmates nabbed as Correctional Service confirms killing of officer

Three of the 12 inmates who escaped during a jail break at Koton Karfe correctional centre in Kogi State have been rearrested.
The Acting Controller General, Nigeria Correctional Service, Sly Nwakuche disclosed this during a press briefing on Monday at the Koton Karfe correctional centre.
He regretted that one of the officers of the correctional service was killed by the escaped prison inmates.
Nwakuche vowed that the remaining escapee will be apprehended.
He called on the general public to provide security agencies with all the needed information that will lead to the arrest of all the prison inmates who escaped from custody.
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