News
Nnamdi Kanu: MASSOB leader dissociates self from IPOB, Dokubo’s face-off
The head of Biafra Independence Movement and Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has disassociated himself from the conflict between the Indigenous people of Biafra and Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, the former head of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, on Friday.
According to a statement made on his behalf by Mazi Chris Mocha, his Director of Information and Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Uwazuruike is only concerned with how IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, can be freed from the Department of State Services prison, not what Asari Dokubo said on social media.
Uwazuruike said those accusing him of conniving with Dokubo should go and verify from Dokubo if both of them had spoken as friends for the past three years.
He recalled how he visited Dokubo in 2002 in Port-Harcourt when the former militant leader told him that the issue of Biafra was not one to be achieved through non-violence, stressing that violence was the only language that the Federal Government understood.
He said, “I do not even have Asari Dokubo’s phone number, let alone talking with him on the phone. It has gotten to about three years now since we last talked, either on the phone or in a friendly conversation.
“If you had a problem with Asari Dokubo, you should better clarify that with him and not drag Ralph Uwazuruike into the matter.
“I am a non-violent crusader, known all over the world and everyone should fight his own battles, carry the cross and not call me to do that for you.
“So Asari had never worked with me on the path of non-violence struggles, and when he was championing the cause for Niger Delta people, he took up arms and ammunition against the Federal Government, which everyone could testify to.”
Uwazuruike described Dokubo as a man who matches his words with action and urged those who are insulting him on social media platforms to go and face him squarely.
He added that Dokubo’s comments asking the Federal Government not to release Nnamdi Kanu were his personal opinion, as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution as amended.
He noted that his opinion cannot override those of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisations, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and South-East Governors Forum, among others, that have been demanding his release.
Uwazuruike said he is only preoccupied with the process that will lead to the release of the leader of IPOB from DSS custody, not talking about irrelevant matters about who said what and who said the other.
He urged the Federal Government to release Kanu because it is against the rule of law that one should be held incommunicado for this long in a DSS facility, even after several courts of competent jurisdiction had ordered his immediate release.
Crime
UPDATE: Court Remands Former AGF Abubakar Malami, Son, and Associate in Kuje Prison Over Money Laundering Charges
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his son Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe, at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of their bail applications on January 2, 2026.
The defendants were arraigned on Tuesday before Justice Emeka Nwite on a 16-count charge of alleged money laundering filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). All three pleaded not guilty to the charges, which involve conspiracy to conceal, retain, and disguise proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to billions of naira.
The alleged offences, said to have occurred between 2015 and 2025, include using corporate entities and bank accounts to launder funds, retaining large sums of cash as collateral for loans, and acquiring high-value properties in Abuja, Kano, Kebbi, and other locations.
Some of the acts are alleged to have taken place during Malami’s tenure as Nigeria’s chief law officer, contravening the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Acts of 2011 (as amended) and 2022.
Specific counts include the concealment of over ₦1.014 billion in a Sterling Bank account through Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited between July 2022 and June 2025, and the use of illicit funds to purchase luxury properties in Abuja districts such as Maitama and Asokoro.
Following the not-guilty pleas, defence counsel Joseph Daudu (SAN) made an oral application for bail. However, EFCC prosecutor Ekele Iheanacho (SAN) opposed it, noting that a written bail application had been served on the prosecution late the previous night and requesting time to respond.
Justice Nwite ruled that pursuing both oral and written applications simultaneously would undermine fair hearing principles and potentially “ambush” the prosecution.
He declined the oral request and adjourned the matter to January 2, 2026, for the formal bail hearing, ordering the defendants’ remand in Kuje Correctional Centre in the interim.
Malami had been in EFCC custody since early December following investigations into the allegations.
The case marks a significant development in the anti-graft agency’s probe into suspected financial irregularities linked to the former minister.
News
Updated: Malami, son plead not guilty in alleged money laundering case, denied bail till January 2 hearing
Among the charges are large-scale money laundering and the illegal acquisition of properties worth over N8.7 billion.
•Abubakar Malami in the FHC Abuja, Tuesday, 30 December 2025.
Trial Justice Emeka Nwike issued the remand order after he rejected an oral bail application the defendants made through their team of lawyers led by Mr J. B. Daudu, SAN.
The court stressed the need to allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which opposed the release of the defendants on bail, to file its counter-affidavit.
The former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his son, and one other person pleaded not guilty to alleged money laundering on Tuesday.
Malami and the others were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 16- count charges against him, his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
Among the charges are large-scale money laundering and the illegal acquisition of properties worth over N8.7 billion.
The EFCC’s witnesses include investigators, bank officials, bureau de change operators, and company representatives.
Consequently, the court ordered that Malami, alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and an accomplice, Hajia Bashir Asabe, should remain in Kuje prison till January 2, 2026, when their formal request for bail would be considered.
The Trial Justice Emeka Nwike issued the remand order after he rejected an oral bail application the defendants made through their team of lawyers led by Mr J. B. Daudu, SAN.
The court stressed the need to allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which opposed the release of the defendants on bail, to file its counter-affidavit.
Details later…
News
NISO restores national grid after nationwide blackouts
The previous day,there was a nationwide blackout as the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) recorded 0Mw total energy generation at 16:00 hour.
• A power generation site
The Nigeria Independent System Operator (NISO) has restored the national grid to 2,126 megawatts (Mw) total energy generation at 20:00 hour.
The previous day,there was a nationwide blackout as the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) recorded 0Mw total energy generation at 16:00 hour.
NISO also raised the total energy sent to the 11 electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to 1,895Mw at 21:02 hours.
The grid developed issues that the NISO was yet to report its cause and restoration measures at press time, leading to the cut in the supply to the 11 electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) from the average of 4,000MW on a normal day.
According to the NISO website dashboard, the system dipped from 148.30MW at 15:00 hour.
On its distribution profile, the NISO revealed that total energy sent to the 11 electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) at 16:46hour was 305MW.
UPDATE: Court Remands Former AGF Abubakar Malami, Son, and Associate in Kuje Prison Over Money Laundering Charges
Updated: Malami, son plead not guilty in alleged money laundering case, denied bail till January 2 hearing
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