The appearance of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, in Abuja High Court for his re-arraignment yesterday dominates the headlines of Nigerian newspapers on Friday.
The Guardian reports that the appearance of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, finally appeared in court for his re-arraignment yesterday, eliciting some joyous reaction in court and most parts of the Southeast. His trial had been delayed for three months when authorities failed to produce him in court.
After speculations about his health and whereabouts since his re-arrest in June, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, finally appeared in court for his re-arraignment yesterday, eliciting some joyous reaction in court and most parts of the Southeast. His trial had been delayed for three months when authorities failed to produce him in court.
Kanu was brought into the court premises in a heavily fortified security convoy led by a black Prado SUV at exactly 8:00 a.m. Many were sceptical as to whether he was actually in the convoy considering that a similar drama took place on July 27 when he was first re-arraigned.
But two hours later, Kanu, who wore a white Fendi designer jumpsuit, was ushered into the courtroom by security operatives to face a seven-count amended charge bordering on incitement, terrorism, treasonable felony and money laundering.
The charges against Kanu, a British citizen, also included calling for secession, knowingly broadcasting falsehoods about President Muhammadu Buhari and membership of an outlawed group.
The entrances leading to the court premises were barricaded by a combination of gun-wielding Department of State Services (DSS) operatives, the army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and men of the Nigerian Police, while a large number of security personnel were deployed to the premises and its surrounding to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
However, restriction of human and vehicular movements, baring of journalists from coverage as well as the harassment of lawyers, who had other matters in court, caused serious uproar and chaos within and around the court area. Security operatives also forcibly dispersed crowds of supporters who gathered nearby.
Shortly after pleading not guilty, the judge ordered that he remains in the custody of the DSS after failing to grant his request to be transferred to a correctional centre. The case was then adjourned till November 10, 2021.
Justice Nyako adjourned the case after counsel to Kanu, Ejiofor, informed that he had notice of preliminary objection challenging the fresh seven-count charge filed against his client.
The Punch says that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc on Thursday provided statistics on misalignments in the power value chain, saying that about 14,000 megawatts of electricity were contracted to power generation companies.
Managing Director, NBET, Nnaemeka Ewelukwa, gave a breakdown of the quantum of Nigeria’s electricity demand, what was contracted, available capacity, what was produced, among others. He provided these statistics while speaking during a plenary session at the World Energy Day Conference 2021, with the theme, ‘Energy Transition: Gas as Fuel of Choice’, organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
This came as the Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, Nigerian National Petroleum Company, Mohammed Ahmed, told participants at the event that about 77 million Nigerians were currently without access to electricity. Providing statistics on Nigeria’s power situation, Ewelukwa said, “In terms of situating the gas discussion within the context of the power sector, we have some misalignments in the value chain which the government is trying to address.
“And that misalignment starts with the fact that in terms of the demand for electricity in the country, it is about 28,000MW. But when you look at the contracted capacity for electricity, it is about 14,000MW.
The Sund reports that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has said it is proposing the introduction of Road Infrastructure Tax in Nigeria, to make the informal sector contribute to building a modern society.
The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Muhammad Nami, disclosed this yesterday, while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by its President, Chris Isiguzo, in his office, in Abuja.
Nami said the proposed Road Infrastructure Tax to be administered by the federal agency, would provide government with adequate funding for road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance as well as providing the needed security for roads in the country. His words:
“One quick and very important intervention required of you is in the area of the Road Infrastructure Funding Scheme that the country needs in order to fix our roads and bring the informal sector to the tax net.
“In many jurisdictions, road users pay for the use of road infrastructure, as such it shouldn’t be seen as an additional burden on our citizens because it has the potential of making life better for all of us.”
The newspaper says that the World Bank has announced a $100 million additional credit to assist the poor and the vulnerable in the North East.
The affected north east states include, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, and Gombe states.” The bank said in a document that the development objective of Youth Employment and Social Support Project for Nigeria is to increase access of the poor to youth employment opportunities, social services, and strengthened safety net systems in participating states.
According to the bank, the proposed additional credit of $100 million would help finance the costs associated with modified and new activities arising from scaling up and restructuring of the current operation in the North East of Nigeria (Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, and Gombe states) with the aim of providing assistance to poor and vulnerable households – including internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The bank noted that the targeted beneficiaries are those able to return or resettle to safe environments – and host communities- for increased consumption and improved livelihoods and human capital.
ThisDay reports that the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari has said Nigeria will not be cowed to jettison oil and gas, the nation’s chief revenue earner, in the rush to achieve cleaner and sustainable energy.
According to the NNPC boss, Nigeria must strike a balance between achieving financial security, a critical driver of the nation’s survival as well as energy security and sustainability.
The GMD said this yesterday in Lagos, during his keynote address at the 2021 Energy Sustainability Conference (ESC) organised by the Energy Institute Nigeria, with the theme, “Accelerating Sustainable Energy Solutions through Policy Implementation: Prospects and Limitations.”
Represented at the event by the Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), an arm of the NNPC, Mr. Bala Wunti, Kyari noted that such a balance was necessary considering the fact that Nigeria depends largely on income from oil and gas.
GIK/APA