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Pro-Biafra Groups Condemn Police Summons of Uwazuruike
The leadership of the Biafra Independence Movement (BIM) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has strongly criticised a police invitation issued to its leader, Barrister Ralph Uwazuruike, calling it a violation of democratic principles and an attempt to unlawfully detain him.
In a statement released on Sunday and signed by the groups’ media aide, Mazi Chris Mocha, the pro-Biafra organisations described the summons as a deliberate plot to silence Uwazuruike. According to the statement, the invitation directed the BIM–MASSOB leader to report to the police “Tiger Base” in Owerri, Imo State, on Monday, October 20, over alleged charges including criminal invasion, forgery, and willful damage.
Rejecting the accusations, the groups maintained that Uwazuruike had committed no crime and was being targeted for his decision to participate in a nationwide peaceful protest calling for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
“This police summons is nothing but a ploy to arrest and possibly detain our leader, the Ijele Ndigbo, Ralph Uwazuruike,” the statement said. “He has never committed any offence by supporting or joining a peaceful protest for the release of Nnamdi Kanu.”
The development comes after Uwazuruike filed a fundamental human rights suit at the High Court in Owerri over the weekend, challenging the police action. In the suit, he is seeking ₦100 million in damages for alleged violations of his rights and is asking the court to restrain the police and seven others from arresting or detaining him over his planned protest participation.
BIM–MASSOB defended Uwazuruike’s record as a non-violent advocate of Biafran self-determination, noting that for over 26 years he has pursued the cause through peaceful means and lawful channels.
“Chief Ralph Uwazuruike is a peace-loving leader who has always chosen dialogue over violence,” the statement added. “There is absolutely no justification for summoning him to the Tiger Base for questioning. This action undermines the democratic rights of individuals to protest peacefully and must be condemned.”
The groups concluded by warning against any attempt to arrest their leader, declaring, “Don’t touch Ralph Uwazuruike,” and urging the authorities to respect his constitutional rights.
• King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall
News
Alleged N2.2bn fraud: Ngige gets bail, trials continue on January 28
The EFCC alleges that Ngige used his ministerial position between 2015 and 2023 to award contracts unfairly, divert funds, and enrich himself and associates.
Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has been granted bail by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Gwarimpa.
He faces eight counts of charges bordering on abuse of office, contract fraud, and acceptance of kickbacks from contractors linked to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.
In Thursday’s ruling, Justice Maryam Hassan adopted the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted by the EFCC.
The court ordered Ngige to produce a surety who must be a serving Federal Government director.
The surety is required to deposit travel documents with the court registrar, as Ngige claims his passport was lost.
The surety must also present landed property with a valid certificate of occupancy within the Federal Capital Territory.
The EFCC alleges that Ngige used his ministerial position between 2015 and 2023 to award contracts unfairly, divert funds, and enrich himself and associates.
The trial is scheduled to commence on January 28, 2026.
News
BREAKING: Senate Confirms Former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, Reno Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode, and Others as Ambassadors
#The Nigerian Senate has confirmed a list of high-profile non-career ambassadorial nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu, including former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, social media influencer and former presidential aide Reno Omokri, and ex-Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK).
The confirmations followed screenings by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which cleared the nominees amid some procedural debates but ultimately recommended their approval.
Other prominent figures confirmed include former Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau, ex-governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and several former senators and political allies.
The approvals form part of a broader diplomatic restructuring by the Tinubu administration, with the nominees expected to be deployed to key missions abroad to strengthen Nigeria’s international relations.
Sources indicate that the list, which includes a mix of career and non-career diplomats totaling around 68, addresses long-standing vacancies in Nigeria’s foreign missions.
The nominations had sparked public debate earlier, with critics questioning the inclusion of politically controversial figures, while supporters highlighted their experience in public service and loyalty to national interests.
The confirmed ambassadors-designate will receive their specific postings after formal letters of credence from the president.
This development marks a significant step in revitalizing Nigeria’s diplomatic presence globally.
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