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Nnamdi Kanu’s trial: Focus on facts, not propaganda – Lawyer tasks journalists

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Media practitioners have been urged to focus on facts rather than propaganda in the terrorism trial of leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

The Directorate of Legal Affairs, Research and Global Communications Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB,

Onyedikachi Ifedi, Esq., made the call in a statement on Sunday. He was reacting to arguments canvassed by Kanu’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, at the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday in Abuja.

The lawyer advised against sensational reporting of what he described as propaganda spewed by the Federal Government legal team.

According to him, journalists should not ignore germane questions raised by Agabi during the proceeding, particularly on the identity of over 170 security officers the government claimed have been killed as a result of Kanu’s broadcasts.

Ifedi said, “Who are the families of these alleged victims? Why have they not testified in court? Which individual has claimed, under oath, that they heard Mazi Kanu and then committed violence as a result of his broadcasts? Who issued the unsigned, unauthenticated death certificates the DSS tried to smuggle into evidence?”

Agabi had in his submission urged the prosecution to tender the forensic pathologist or investigator linking any death to IPOB or Mazi Kanu. He submitted that no victims had come forward to testify in court that their loved one was killed due to any violence by Nnamdi Kanu.

Ifedi added, “Self-determination is not a crime. No Nigerian law criminalizes calling for Biafra; free speech, even harsh or fiery speech, is not terrorism. No evidence links Mazi Kanu’s utterances to violence. No lawful investigation was conducted under the Terrorism Prevention Act.

“Instead, the media gave uncritical oxygen to laughable claims that because Mazi Kanu said “the world will stand still”, Nigeria must imprison him. Since when did hyperbole become terrorism? If so, when will government officials who have made similar or worse threats be charged?”

The lawyer appealed to the media not to give “unnecessary oxygen and voice to the narratives aimed at misleading the public”.

“We challenge you to report that all five prosecution witnesses were DSS agents. That none of them tendered direct evidence of violence caused by Mazi Kanu. That the “evidence” they submitted consisted of unsigned, unauthenticated documents.

“That no victim, no investigator, no family member, no forensic expert testified in support of the government’s claims. We remind all Nigerians and the international community: well-scripted propaganda cannot replace facts, evidence, or the rule of law.

“The Federal Government’s case against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is legally unsustainable, morally bankrupt, and politically vindictive,” the statement added.

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Uganda reaches agreement with US Govt to take in migrants

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Uganda has entered an agreement with the United States to take in nationals from third countries who may not get asylum in the U.S. but are reluctant to return to their countries of origin, the foreign affairs ministry said on Thursday, August 21.

President Donald Trump aims to deport millions of immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally, and his administration has sought to increase removals to third countries, including by sending convicted criminals to South Sudan and Eswatini.

“This is a temporary arrangement with conditions including that individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors will not be accepted,” Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said in a statement.

Waiswa added that Uganda would prefer to receive people from African nationalities under the agreement.

“The two parties are working out the detailed modalities on how the agreement shall be implemented,” he said.

On Wednesday, another Ugandan foreign affairs official had denied a U.S. media report that the East African country had agreed to take in people deported from the United States, saying it lacked the facilities to accommodate them.

Uganda, a U.S. ally in East Africa, also hosts nearly two million refugees and asylum-seekers, who mostly hail from countries in the region such as Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan.

In July, five immigrants from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Yemen and Cuba, who Washington said had been convicted of serious crimes, were flown to Eswatini, where they are now in a high-security prison. The deportations are being challenged by a group of Swazi and southern African NGOs, with a high court hearing scheduled for Friday.

Also in July, eight men from various countries were deported by the US to South Sudan, via Djibouti, where they were held for weeks in a shipping container. Meanwhile, more than 250 Venezuelans were repatriated to Venezuela after being sent to a notorious El Salvador prison in March without due process.

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FRSC rewards officer for rejecting 104 bribes in one month

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The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has honoured Assistant Route Commander Babatunde Owoeye of the Osun State Sector Command for his exemplary integrity in July 2025.

The commendation was held during a ceremony on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at the Osun State Command headquarters.

Records show that Owoeye rejected bribes from traffic offenders on 104 separate occasions.

He also turned down bribe attempts 18 times in May and 38 times in June, reflecting a consistent commitment to ethical conduct in service.

Speaking during the ceremony, Sector Commander Leye Adegboyega lauded Owoeye, stating that his conduct mirrors the FRSC’s long-standing policy against corruption and extortion among its personnel.

Adegboyega added that the recognition aligns with the anti-corruption agenda of the Corps Marshal, Sheu Mohammed, as well as the commission’s broader efforts to promote professionalism and accountability.

“For his exceptional integrity, Assistant Route Commander Babatunde J. Owoeye has been awarded a commendation and a cash gift of N250,000. He recorded 104 ‘Attempt to Corrupt Marshal on Duty’ (ACS) cases in July alone — a feat that is unprecedented in the command’s history,” Adegboyega said.

The FRSC reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on bribery and assured the public that honesty and discipline within its ranks would continue to be recognised and rewarded.

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Africa could become a renewable superpower – UN chief

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United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has called for greater investment in green energy across the Africa, saying the continent has everything it takes to become a “renewable superpower.”

Speaking at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Guterres stressed the need to mobilize finance and technology to ensure Africa’s natural wealth benefits its people and to build a thriving renewable energy and manufacturing base.

“Green power in Africa lowers energy costs, diversifies supply chains, and accelerates decarbonization for everyone,” he said.

Guterres warned that mounting debt should not hinder development and urged increased concessional finance and greater lending capacity from multilateral development banks.

He added, “Africa has everything it takes to become a renewable superpower, from solar and wind to the critical minerals that power new technology.”

The conference brought together African leaders and Japanese officials, with discussions on clean energy, economic partnerships, and long-term investment opportunities.

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