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IPOB Knocks UK Govt Over Silence On Continued Detention Of Nnamdi Kanu

Published

4 months ago

July 31, 2025

The pro-Biafra group described Mazi Kanu’s rendition as flagrant breach of Section 15 of Nigeria’s Extradition Act.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has criticized the United Kingdom for allegedly being complicit in the unlawful rendition and continued detention of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

IPOB in a statement by its Spokesman / Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful titled, “United Kingdoms complicity in Nigeria’s illegal rendition and detention of British citizen Mazi Nnamdi Kanu: A judicial and moral indictment” decried the continued silence and what it called apparent complicity of United Kingdom government in the face of violation of Kanu’s right.

The pro-Biafra group which described Mazi Kanu’s rendition as flagrant breach of Section 15 of Nigeria’s Extradition Act, Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and
Articles 9 and 14 of the ICCPR, to which both Nigeria and the UK are state parties.

IPOB’s statement read, “The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) decries the continued silence and apparent complicity of the United Kingdom Government in the face of Nigeria’s gross and well-documented violations of international law, domestic law, and judicial precedent against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a British citizen and freedom advocate.”

“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was abducted in Kenya in June 2021 in a state-sponsored criminal act of extraordinary rendition and forcibly returned to Nigeria without any extradition proceedings, a flagrant breach of Section 15 of Nigeria’s Extradition Act, Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Articles 9 and 14 of the ICCPR, to which both Nigeria and the UK are state parties.

“What makes the UK’s silence especially appalling is that this is not an abstract diplomatic disagreement, but a matter in which the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (Opinion No. 25/2022) unequivocally declared Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s detention illegal, and ordered his immediate release and compensation.

“The Kenyan High Court ruled that his abduction on Kenyan soil was unconstitutional, and awarded damages for Kenya’s complicity. The Nigerian Court of Appeal (October 2022) held that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s extraordinary rendition constituted a fundamental violation of Nigerian law, effectively nullifying the proceedings against him.

“The Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia (2022) awarded Mazi Kanu, ₦500 million in damages for the same violations. Three judicial forums in Nigeria, Kenya, and at the UN level have all concluded that Nnamdi Kanu’s fundamental rights were trampled upon.

“It is alarming that after all these the UK Government, under the pretence of consular ambiguity and “dual nationality,” has refused to act or even issue a formal condemnation. This is in stark contradiction to its own principled reaction in the Dikko Affair (1984), where it, condemned Nigeria’s attempted rendition of Umaru Dikko from the UK in the strongest diplomatic terms.

“Severed diplomatic ties, threatened legal action for violations of international law and British sovereignty. In Dikko v. The State [1987] 2 NWLR (Pt. 56) 539, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, per Karibi-Whyte, JSC, made a judicial pronouncement that remains timeless.

“The trial of an accused person who has been brought before the court in violation of international law and without compliance with extradition procedures is a nullity. Jurisdiction cannot be conferred upon the court by illegality.

“It is deeply ironic, if not disgraceful, that while Nigeria is abandoning its own Supreme Court precedent, the UK has chosen silence, thus betraying the very principles it once stood for.

“To add further salt to injury, the alleged offences for which Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is being persecuted, primarily, political broadcasts were not committed in Nigeria. The applicable Nigerian law, Section 76 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, provides that Nigerian courts can only assume jurisdiction where the alleged act is also a crime in the place it was committed, the well-established principle of double criminality.

“There is no evidence nor allegation that the UK, where the broadcasts were allegedly made, has found them criminal under UK law. Therefore, by Nigerian law, no court in Nigeria has jurisdiction from the onset to put Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on trial.”

IPOB, therefore, demands, “In view of the above, we call on the United Kingdom Government to publicly condemn the extraordinary rendition and continuing detention of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”

“We also urge the United Kingdom to invoke diplomatic and legal mechanisms to demand Kanu’s immediate and unconditional release, just as they should clarify its position to the British Parliament and public on how it justifies inaction where a British citizen is illegally abducted, tortured, and indefinitely detained in breach of international law.

“British silence in this case is not neutrality, it is complicity. The UK must choose between its stated commitment to human rights and the rule of law, and its political convenience in shielding a illegality of the state. It cannot do both. History will not forget where Britain stood in this defining moment”

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News

TikTok restricts late-night live access for Nigerian users

Published

9 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Newsbreak365_Admin

TikTok has temporarily restricted access to its LIVE feature for users in Nigeria during late-night hours, issuing an in-app notice to creators as part of what it described as an ongoing safety investigation.

At midnight Nigerian time on Sunday, the platform sent a system notification to users stating,”LIVE Notices
TikTok LIVE Update in Nigeria
We’re temporarily limiting LIVE late at night in Nigeria as part of our investigation to ensure our platform remains safe and our community stays protected.”

File Copy: The notification gotten by the app users in Nigeria

Checks by PUNCH Online showed that LIVE sessions, which were active earlier in the night, became inaccessible between 11pm and 5am, with affected accounts displaying a “No Access” label.

The restriction also prevented creators from viewing LIVE broadcasts from other countries.

Only creators with at least 1,000 followers, the minimum requirement to host a LIVE session, received the notification.

Several confirmed that all LIVE activities had been halted overnight.

Despite the disruption, creators who earn through LIVE gifting have their balances and previous earnings intact, easing concerns of financial loss.

As of Monday morning, LIVE access had been restored, sparking discussions across social media as users speculated about the cause of the sudden, nationwide restriction.

Night-time hours are typically peak periods for Nigerian streamers who host matches, entertainment segments, trends and other interactive sessions that attract viewers and virtual gifts.

The development comes weeks after TikTok released updated safety statistics for West Africa.

During its West Africa Safety Summit in Dakar, Senegal, the company disclosed that in the second quarter of 2025, it took action against 2,321,813 LIVE sessions and 1,040,356 LIVE creators globally for violating its LIVE Monetisation guidelines.

In Nigeria alone, 49,512 LIVE sessions were banned within the same period.

TikTok also reported removing 3,780,426 videos in Nigeria between April and June 2025 for breaching Community Guidelines, with 98.7% taken down before being viewed and 91.9% removed within 24 hours.

TikTok Live is an in-app feature letting users broadcast in real-time, fostering direct engagement with viewers through comments and virtual gifts, unlike pre-recorded videos, creating interactive sessions for Q&As, talent showcases, or just chatting.

To go live, you generally need 1,000+ followers (though sometimes less), be at least 16 (18 to earn money), have a clean account, and use the ‘+’ button to select ‘LIVE’, adding a title and effects before starting.

punch.ng

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News

Nnamdi Kanu acted like Awolowo by disengaging lawyers — Consultant

Published

9 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Newsbreak365_Admin

Aloy Ejimakor, legal consultant to the convicted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra , Nnamdi Kanu, has likened him to the late Premier of the Old Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, over his decision to represent himself in court.

In a conversation with our correspondent on Sunday, Ejimakor suggested that Kanu’s refusal to hire lawyers may be delaying the filing of his appeal against his life imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

“MNK has not filed his appeal yet because he has refused to hire lawyers. You know he disengaged us as his lawyers, so we now act in the capacity of a consultant. I am a consultant to him,” Ejimakor said. “I don’t know why he does not want a lawyer, but I believe it is because he is a great man. Many great men are like that. They believe you can’t present their case like they can themselves. Even Awolowo refused to hire lawyers in his time. MNK wants to represent himself, and there are about four or five processes he has to follow to file the appeal before the Appellate Court.”

Ejimakor also backed Kanu’s request to be tranferred to Abuja from the Sokoto Correctional Centre.

He said, “The court already said he can’t be in Kuje prison, so that is fine, but he needs to be closer to Abuja, so if the court will grant his motion to be transferred to Suleja prison or Keffi. To me, there is nothing special about any prison in Nigeria. They are all the same, but MNK needs to be close to Abuja.”

During his trial, Kanu opted to represent himself after disengaging his legal team, headed by a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN).

On November 20, the court found him guilty on all seven terrorism-related charges brought by the Federal Government and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

Following his sentencing, Kanu was moved to the Sokoto correctional Facility due to concerns for his safety at Kuje, where previous prison breaks had been recorded.

He later filed a motion before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court seeking a transfer from Sokoto to a custodial facility closer to Abuja, such as Suleja or Keffi.

In the motion, personally signed by him, Kanu asked that it be deemed moved in absentia and sought an order compelling the Federal Government or Nigerian Correctional Service to effect the transfer.

Citing eight grounds in the motion marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, Kanu explained that his detention in Sokoto—over 700 kilometres from Abuja—made it impracticable to prepare his notice of appeal and record of appeal.

He stressed that all persons critical to assisting him, including relatives, associates, and legal consultants, are based in Abuja.

“The applicant’s continued detention in Sokoto renders his constitutional right to appeal impracticable, occasioning exceptional hardship and potentially defeating the said right, in violation of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended),” the motion stated.

Kanu argued that transferring him to a facility nearer Abuja would enable him to effectively prosecute his constitutionally guaranteed right of appeal.

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News

U.S. Court Jails Nigerian Fraudster Oluwaseun Adekoya To 20 Years For Impersonation And 2M U.S.Dollars Fraud

Published

9 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

A U.S. federal court has sentenced Oluwaseun Adekoya, a Nigerian serial fraudster who operated under multiple aliases while running a sprawling nationwide bank-fraud and money-laundering enterprise, to 20 years in prison for masterminding schemes that stole and laundered more than $2 million through a network of impersonators, fake accounts, and coordinated withdrawals across several states.

Adekoya’s arrest and conviction capped years of sophisticated financial crimes that federal investigators say left a trail of victims stretching from New York to multiple U.S. states.

The case broke open after the State Employees Federal Credit Union (SEFCU), headquartered in Albany, New York, detected a pattern of suspicious impersonation transactions across Capital Region branches. SEFCU’s alert triggered a multi-agency federal investigation led by the FBI’s Albany Field Office, which eventually exposed Adekoya as the mastermind of an extensive identity-theft and bank-fraud ring involving at least 13 accomplices.

Investigators said Adekoya consistently reinvented himself with new identities, new roles, and new operational tactics, as he expanded the criminal enterprise. His run ended on December 12, 2023, when FBI agents executed a search warrant at his luxury apartment.

During the raid, Adekoya attempted to remotely wipe the primary cellphone used to coordinate the schemes. Agents nevertheless recovered a trove of incriminating evidence, including:

• Multiple burner phones
• High-end luxury items such as Rolex watches
• A $51,000 Tiffany engagement ring
• Designer handbags
• More than $26,000 sitting in a laundering account

All items have since been forfeited.

Following two superseding indictments that added charges and additional defendants, Adekoya was convicted on multiple fraud and money-laundering counts. He has remained in custody since his arrest.

In addition to the 20-year sentence, he will serve five years of supervised release, pay over $2.2 million in restitution, remit a $1,100 special assessment, and faces removal from the United States upon completing his prison term.

Federal prosecutors said the ring relied on coordinated identity theft, impersonation of account holders, and strategic branch-by-branch withdrawals. Accomplices posed as legitimate bank customers, using stolen personal data to siphon funds, which were then laundered through controlled accounts, cash couriers, and luxury purchases.

The ring’s operations were “structured, disciplined, and highly adaptive,” investigators said, changing methods frequently to avoid detection.

Thirteen co-conspirators earlier pleaded guilty to roles ranging from impersonation to cash-movement, account manipulation, and logistical support. Their sentences include:

• David Daniyan, 61 (Brooklyn): 54 months’ imprisonment, one year supervised release, restitution over $2.2m.
• Kani Bassie, 36 (Brooklyn): 11 years’ imprisonment, five years supervised release; restitution pending.
• Davon Hunter, 27 (Richmond): 42 months’ imprisonment, three years supervised release, $469,499.18 restitution.
• Christian Quivers, 20 (Richmond): 42 months’ imprisonment, three years supervised release, $385,650 restitution.
• Jermon Brooks, 20 (Richmond): 36 months’ imprisonment, two years supervised release, $385,650 restitution.
• Akeem Balogun, 56 (Brooklyn): 21 months’ imprisonment, two years supervised release, $262,200 restitution.
• Victor Barriera, 64 (Bronx): Time served, three years supervised release, $203,352 restitution.
• Danielle Cappetti, 46 (Bronx): Time served, three years supervised release, $142,796 restitution.
• Jerjuan Joyner, 50 (Brooklyn): 12 months’ imprisonment, three years supervised release, $135,998 restitution.
• Gaysha Kennedy, 46 (Brooklyn): Time served, two years supervised release, $24,500 restitution.
• Crystal Kurschner, 44 (Brooklyn): Time served, three years supervised release, $220,850 restitution.
• Sherry Ozmore, 56 (Richmond): Time served, three years supervised release, $229,303.18 restitution.
• Lesley Lucchese, 53 (Manhattan): Pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing in 2026.

U.S. prosecutors say the dismantling of Adekoya’s syndicate underscores the increasing sophistication of fraud networks operating across state lines, and the growing cooperation among federal, state, and local law-enforcement agencies to disrupt them.

Officials noted that the investigation required extensive coordination across jurisdictions and financial institutions, describing it as “a model of inter-agency effectiveness.”

Source: Newsmakerslive

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