The Department of State Services, DSS, on Monday granted Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, access to his family. Kanu met with his brother, Emmanuel Kanu who was in the company of his legal team at the DSS headquarters in Abuja. The meeting was confirmed by Kanu’s lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, in a series of tweets. Ejiofor disclosed that the IPOB leader is in good spirit. According to Ejiofor: “We just concluded today’s routine visit on a very sound note. What made today’s visit unique is that today marks it the first Day Our Client -Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is setting his eyes on his sibling.

The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has described calls for a new and more representative constitution as unrealistic. Bello said this on Monday while delivering his keynote address at the fifth edition of The Osasu Show Symposium 2021 themed ‘State of the nation: The people’s constitution’ at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. The governor who was represented by the Director-General, Research and Development, member of the Kogi State Executive Council, Moses Okezi, said that Nigerians can at best manage and amend the provisions of the 1999 constitution. But a total abrogation is not obtainable at this time. He said, “The constitution of Nigerian 1999 was enacted on 29th May 1999 by military decree 24 inaugurating the Nigerian fourth republic and restoring democratic rule. “I believe the lack of direct origins in the people or some of their representatives is why some citizens and some sections of civil society insist that none of the previous constitutions of Nigeria qualifies to be called a people’s constitution. “They advocate the total abrogation of the present one while calling for a process that will midwife the emergence of a new constitution which they claim will be the loadstone for a more egalitarian Nigerian society driven by the rule of law. “I understand their arguments. And how I wish I could buy into their optimism. Sadly, given our socio-political realities as a nation, I think calls to dump the present constitution wholesale and make a new one from scratch are not very realistic at this time.” Bello added that constitutional democracy is not a naturally occurring system of governance saying, “it is always preceded by some authoritarian ways by which society has previously been organised. “When the forces of progress and modern governance finally makes democracy inevitable in a polity, the weakened authoritarian institutions usually see themselves overseeing the process of their own overthrow; usually, through the making and promulgation of a constitution. “This is the story of most nations and their constitutions. Even those we consider the global democratic powerhouses of the modern world.” Bello further explained that there will always be foundational issues with most constitutions but total annulment of an old constitution and the introduction of a new one is hardly a realistic strategy.

Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has ordered the immediate dismissal of civil servants who were absent from work under the guise of the sit-at-home directive of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He also threatened that any shop or store locked will also lose the right of occupancy of such a store. Umahi disclosed this to newsmen in Abakaliki at Ikwo local government area of the state while stating that IPOB had already suspended the order. ‌ He said: “People did not come to work on the guise of sit-at-home. In as much as those who said sit-at-home have denounced that there is no sit-at-home, that people also take refuge in that excuse. “I have directed that any civil servant who fails to come to work, it is an automatic dismissal. Any site that is not working, the workers are dismissed and any shop or store all over Ebonyi State that closes will lose the right of occupancy of such store and I want it to go viral, I want it to be announced.” Umahi, further noted that those advocating for sit-at-home in South East are trying to cause problems in the zone, maintaining that as the leader of South-East governors, he will not allow war in the zone. “The economy of South-East will be destroyed by the reason of very few that are self-seeking. We are known for trade and anyone who is advocating sitting at home in the South-East is evil because the South-East has not caused the problem of anybody. “If anybody is wagging war, that war cannot be in South-East and this is very important and it is important that our people should rise to understand what is going on, it is not in the interest of South-East. “You can’t kill the people, destroy the economy and say that you are fighting for South-East. We must rise to say no to this evil plan to destroy our economy and kill our people and I keep saying that there is nothing like unknown gunmen. It is we that are killing ourselves. “The known gunmen are our people, people being killed are our people and this is terrible. The Igbo man has never been known for this kind of rascality. Just two days back, a policeman was killed again at Ezza South. “The security people that have dedicated their lives to save us are being attacked. What senseless and manners should that be?” he queried. Meanwhile, offices, banks, markets, shops were all providing skeletal services when Tribune Online moved round the state.

Attorneys-general of the 36 states have sued Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), over the alleged failure of government to remit recovered funds into the federation account. Amongst the reliefs being sought in the suit marked SC/cv/395/2021 and filed before the supreme court, the state attorneys-general are asking to court for “a declaration that by the provisions of Section 162(1) and Section 162(10) of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), all income, returns, proceeds or receipts howsoever described derived from confiscated, forfeited and/or recovered assets constitute revenue of the federal republic of Nigeria, which must be remitted to federation account for the collective benefit of the federal, state and local governments.” They also want the court to declare that “the failure and/or refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari, the minister of finance, the office of the AGF, and the accountant-general of the federation, and all other relevant authorities and/or agencies of the federation to remit the receipts, income, returns or proceeds derived from all assets recovered, seized, confiscated and forfeited into the federation account to be distributed in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution” is unconstitutional. The plaintiffs also want the apex court to declare that “it is unconstitutional for the president, through the federal minister of finance, the AGF, or any other authority whatsoever, to utilise, apply, allocate, expend and appropriate same to itself or distribute same in any other manner howsoever without due allocation from the federation account”. In the affidavits supporting the originating summons, the plaintiffs alleged that “between 2015 till date, the FRN has secured both international and municipal forfeiture, recovery and repatriation of “stolen assets” in the sum of NI,836,906,543,658.73, about 167 properties, 450 Cars, 300 Trucks and cargoes, and 20,000,000 barrels of crude oil worth over N450million”, but have failed to remit to the federation account as required by the constitution. They also submitted that the establishment of the “asset tracing, recovery and management regulation 2019” done by the president through the AGF, contradicts the provisions of the constitution, and that the AGF acted beyond his constitutional powers. Consequently, they prayed the court for an order directing the president, finance minister, accountant-general of the federation, and all other relevant authorities “to give account of all the receipts, income, returns or proceeds derived from all assets recovered, seized, confiscated and/or forfeited to the federal republic of Nigeria in the sum of N1,836,906,543,658.73 (cash) and N450,000,000,000.00 (non-cash)”. “An order directing the earlier mentioned persons to reconcile accounts of all the receipts, income, returns or proceeds derived from all assets recovered, seized, confiscated and forfeited to the federal republic of Nigeria in the sum of N1,836,906,543,658.73 (Cash) and N450,000,000,000.00 (Non-cash), and remit same forthwith into the federation account,” the document reads. “An order directing the president, the minister of finance, the Office of the AGF, the accountant-general of the federation and the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, to determine forthwith, the modalities for distributing the receipts from seized, forfeited and recovered assets among the federal, state and local government from the federation account. “An order directing that any sum due to the federal government from the federation account should be set off against and to the full extent of any component of the receipts, income, return or proceeds derived from all assets recovered, seized, confiscated, and/or forfeited to the federal republic of Nigeria in the sum of N1,836,906,543,658.73 (Cash) and N450,000,000,000.00 (Non-cash), which has been utilised, applied and/or expended by the federal government without due allocation/distribution.”

Olusegun Falola, one of the lawyers of embattled Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, has said his client might not return back to Nigeria in a long time when he regains freedom from Benin Republic. Falola explained it would be a dangerous decision for Igboho to return when he is free from Benin Republic because his life is under threat in Nigeria. He stated this in an interview with feelrightnewsTV obtained by The Nation. “When I arrived from Paris at the custody where Igboho was detained, he was first chained. They were scared that he could just disappear into the thin air because of his mystical powers. “The police told me that if Igboho’s chains were untied and he escapes mysteriously, he (police officer) will be stripped of his rank and also dismissed. “The police officer said he was told that Igboho could disappear or turn into a cat, and many other things were said to the police officers which made them tie him.” He noted it took his timely intervention for the officers to unchain him and allow him (Igboho) walk freely, explaining Igboho did not commit any offence but he is just a human rights activist. Giving an update on Igboho’s case, Falola assured he is safe in the Benin Republic. He said: “The case will make revelations as to which government is powerful in Africa, our government may not be wealthy, and not much in population as compared to Nigeria but there is a signed treaty that must be respected. “Igboho cannot be left to return back to Nigeria for now because of the destruction of his properties that was witnessed, they are not looking for Sunday Igboho alone but planning to kill him. “They are looking for how to kill him and that’s very dangerous to allow him return back to Nigeria. So he is being kept safe in custody.” Although the investigation is still ongoing, Falola explained he is monitoring the developments going on in Nigeria before any application for Igboho’s freedom in court can be made. He added that if Igboho is released, He may proceed to Germany to see his children and family. “This case has become a global one with many watching the developments, all Yorubas especially in Diaspora, monarchs, traditionalists, others are keenly following the case,” Falola stated.