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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.

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“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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PHOTOS: Two children k!lled, others injured as building collapses in Nasarawa

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Tragedy struck Tudun Amba area of Lafia in Nasarawa State as a building collapsed, k!lling two children from the same family.

The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Friday, August 28, 2026, also left other members of the family injured and hospitalized.

Details surrounding the cause of the collapse were not immediately available as authorities are expected to commence an assessment of the incident.

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PHOTOS: Two d!e as refuse dump collapses on building in Cross River

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Two persons have been confirmed d3ad following the collapse of a refuse dump at Ikot Effanga, along Old Odukpani Road in Calabar, Cross River State.

The spokesperson for the Cross River State Police Command, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, who disclosed this in a statement said the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, August 28, 2026, when the collapsed refuse impacted a building reportedly constructed within a valley.

“The Cross River State Police Command is aware of a reported incident involving the collapse of a refuse dump at Ikot Effanga, along the Old Odukpani Road, Calabar, in the early hours of Friday, 28th August 2026, the statement read.

“Police personnel responded promptly to the scene, where it was discovered that the collapsed refuse had impacted a building reportedly constructed within a valley, resulting in the death of two occupants.”

The statement identified the victims as Nfon Imé, male, and an unidentified female, who were said to have been in the building at the time of the incident.

The bodies were recovered and deposited at the mortuary.

“The deceased, identified as Nfon Imé ‘m’, and a yet-to-be-identified female, believed to have been in the building at the time of the incident, have been recovered and deposited at the mortuary,” the statement said.

The police spokesperson said an assessment of the circumstances surrounding the incident was ongoing, while further investigation had commenced.

“The Command is currently conducting an assessment of the circumstances surrounding the incident, while further investigation is ongoing,” ASP Eitokpah said.

The command urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid speculation as efforts continued to establish the full facts surrounding the incident.

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“Further details will be communicated as soon as they are verified and available,” the statement added.

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Togo, Niger, Benin owe Nigeria $11m for electricity supplied in 2025 – NERC

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Togo, Benin and Niger owed Nigeria $11.16 million for electricity supplied by Nigerian power generation companies under bilateral arrangements in 2025, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

NERC disclosed this in its 2025 annual report, saying the Market Operator (MO) issued invoices totalling $73.91 million to the three international electricity customers during the year. However, only $62.75 million was paid, leaving an outstanding balance of $11.16 million and representing an 84.90 percent remittance performance.

The international customers identified by NERC are Société Nigérienne d’Électricité (NIGELEC) of Niger, Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique (SBEE) of Benin and Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo (CEET). “The international bilateral customers … received a total invoice of $73.91 million for ancillary services provided by the MO and made a total payment of $62.75 million, corresponding to a remittance performance of 84.90%,” NERC said.

The commission also reported that domestic bilateral customers paid N12.75 trillion out of N13.20 trillion invoiced by the Market Operator for services provided in 2025. According to NERC, the payments represented a 96.60 percent remittance performance. However, Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and its host community, classified as a special customer, made no payments against invoices issued during the period.

NERC said the company had an outstanding N4.96 billion invoice from Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) and another N500 million invoice from the Market Operator. “The Commission has escalated the issue of continual non-payment of electricity bills by Ajaokuta to the relevant federal ministries to find a lasting solution,” the report said.

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NERC warned that continued failure to settle the obligations could put the Ajaokuta complex at risk of disconnection from its electricity service providers. “Failure to settle the obligations may put the Ajaokuta complex at risk of being disconnected from its service providers (NBET and MO) on the grounds of gross indebtedness,” it added.

NERC also said electricity distribution companies (DisCos) collectively took off 31,251.77 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity in 2025, while 25,867.86GWh was billed to customers. This resulted in a market energy accounting efficiency (EAE) of 82.77 percent.

The commission explained that EAE measures how effectively DisCos account for electricity received at their trading points. It is calculated by comparing the energy billed to customers, including metered and unmetered consumers, with the total electricity supplied to an area over a given period.

Ibadan DisCo recorded the highest energy accounting efficiency at 88.84 percent, while Enugu DisCo recorded the lowest at 72.18 percent. “The disaggregated performance of the DisCos shows that Ibadan DisCo recorded the highest energy accounting efficiency of 88.84%, while Enugu DisCo recorded the lowest efficiency of 72.18%,” NERC said.

The commission said DisCos were responsible for developing strategies to improve their energy accounting performance. “DisCos have the responsibility of developing strategies to improve their energy accounting efficiencies,” NERC said.

It identified improved distribution infrastructure, reduced technical losses, better customer enumeration and customer service, increased metering and the deployment of technology to combat electricity theft as measures that could help improve the sector’s performance.

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