By Eric Ikhilae, Abuja and Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

The family of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday raised the alarm over the presence of soldiers in its village, Isiama Afaraukwu in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State.

His younger brother, Emmanuel, told our correspondent that residents have become apprehensive by the soldiers’ presence.

Prince Kanu said they were not comfortable with soldiers patrolling the “peaceful” community.

According to him, Afaraukwu was yet to recover from the shock and trauma of the alleged 2017 military invasion.

“We don’t want what happened at Lekki to happen again in our community,” the younger Kanu said.

He called on military authorities not to deploy soldiers in the peaceful community to avoid intimidation and harassment of innocent residents and indigenes.

But, an officer at the 14 Brigade Headquarters, who did not want to be named, dismissed Prince Kanu’s claim, saying the soldiers were carrying out their legitimate duties.

The source urged members of the community and public to go about their lawful business, assuring them of their safety.

The source said it was only someone that has a skeleton in his cupboard that will be agitated, adding that the alarm was “unnecessary”.

The treasonable felony case of Kanu will come up at the Federal High Court in Abuja today.

Kanu and others on trial on a five-count charge bordering on treasonable felony and managing an unlawful organisation.

The Federal Government accused them of conspiracy to broadcast materials intended to secede from Nigeria and create a state of Biafra.

The court issued a hearing notice to the prosecution and defence teams. The notice is dated November 24, 2020.

It says the case “will be transferred from the general cause list to the hearing paper for Thursday the 26th day of November 2020 at 9am…”

Kanu, who has been abroad, was granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons, but fled the country afterwards.

Due to his absence, Justice Binta Nyako revoked the bail and ordered his arrest.

Kanu’s lawyer argued that his client left the country because of soldiers’ invasion of his family’s home in Abia State during a military exercise, Operation Python Dance.

He prayed the court to restore the bail to enable the defendant to return to Nigeria for trial, which the judge refused.

Kanu did not return to Nigeria when his parents were buried.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and two others stood surety for Kanu.

Since October 17, 2017, when the trial was supposed to resume, Abaribe and the two others had been unable to produce Kanu in court.

The court, on March 28, 2018, ordered the senator and the two others to appear in court to show cause why they should not forfeit their bail bonds worth N100million each, or be imprisoned for their inability to produce the IPOB leader in court.

Abaribe, who appealed the ruling, is praying the court to discharge him as a surety.

The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) and other groups have called for Abaribe’s arrest, following the prison remand of Senator Ali Ndume for failing to produce former Chairman of the Presidential Pension Taskforce, Abdulrasheed Maina.

Ndume stood surety for Maina, who failed to appear in court for the continuation of his trial over alleged N2billion money laundering.

In a ruling on April 25, 2017, Justice Nyako rejected the objection by the prosecution and granted bail to Kanu, with the exclusion of other defendants.

The judge said her decision to grant bail was based on health grounds.

In less than two weeks, Kanu was out of custody, having satisfied the bail conditions.

The prosecution was to open its case on October 17. But, when parties got to court, the other defendants were present with the exception of Kanu.

Lead prosecution lawyer, Shuaibu Labaran noted that although the case was scheduled for commencement of trial, no proceedings could be conducted in the absence of one of the defendants.

Labaran recalled that Kanu was granted bail on April 25, 2017 on health grounds and that “the court gave an order that he should go and attend to his health challenge and report back to court on monthly basis.

He added that the three men, who stood sureties for Kanu should be ordered to appear before the court to show cause why the bail bond of N100 million, which each of the sureties signed, should not be forfeited and or, they should be committed to prison for failing to produce the 1st defendant.

Responding, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who represented Kanu, denied knowledge of his client’s whereabouts. “Ever since the Army raided his home on September 11 and 14, 2017, we have not seen the first defendant. I cannot tell if he is dead or alive,” Ejiofor said.

He urged the court to reject Labaran’s application concerning the sureties.

Ogechi Ogbonna, who appeared for Abaribe, said his client did not know Kanu’s whereabouts.

Ogbonna informed the court about a motion he filed seeking, among others, an order discharging Abaribe as Kanu’s surety.

AMCON’s security operatives have refused to vacate Peace Global Communications despite the ruling of the Abuja Federal High Court which vacated an ex-parte order against Peace Global Satellite Communication network and it’s Managing Director, Oreye Udo Livingstone.

The earlier interim ex-parte request which granted Benson Ibezim, the 3rd Claimant/ Respondent the receiver Manager selected by AMCON which is the 1st Respondent to take ownership of the assets belonging to Oreye and his wife which involves their residence and hotel located at Omole Estate, Lagos was vacated after careful consideration of all Affidavits, counter-Affidavits, written addresses, exhibits and submissions of counsel for and against the relief sought.

Delivery judgement, the presiding Magistrate ordered immediate vacation of the ex-parte order regarded that the court dismissed or set aside the earlier order because the earlier ex-parte order was taken without authority and upon suppression of facts. Besides, the Judge regarded that AMCON’s Lawyer went ahead to move the motion on March 9th in spite of the fact that a note of Appeal showing that the matter was in the Supreme court was served the Claimant on February 14 this year.

Kemi Filani News recalls that Oreye Livingstone appealed to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions over the seizing of his properties by AMCON
According to the petition, Asset Management Company Of Nigeria (AMCON) took ownership of his two residential properties and business premises after 15 heavily armed Policemen storm his hotel in Omole estate on July 24 this year and AMCON Receiver, Benson Ibezim took unfair possession of the properties because the Receiver failed to file a motion on notice within 14 days as directed in Paragraph 9 of the same order of the court dated March 9,2020. However, three days to the court ruling, the Receiver attempted to take full possession.
This according to Oreye is occurring when the matter which has dragged on for years is now before the Supreme Court
Findings reveal that Oreye through his company Peace Global Satellite Communication in 2004 obtained N 178 million to supplement the rolling out of wired phone. Out of the N178m borrowed, the sum of N162 million was paid back, remaining a balance of N16m on principal.
There was a heavy downpour that damaged the Peace Global Satellite Communications network, a development that made WEMA bank to strive selling the collateral used to secure the loan but Peace Global went to court in 2009 claiming amongst other things, that WEMA Insurance Brokers failed to process their thunderstorm claim for 2 years.

This matter we also assumed was already in court before the creation of AMCON but according to Oreye, WEMA Bank misled AMCON that perspective on principal was N240m which made AMCON to buy the loan for N123m. According to the petition, compilation of records was done by all parties including AMCON on June 16, 2020. Thereafter the records were broadcasted on June 19, 2020 to Supreme Court while brief of Argument has since been filed.
But Ibezim in his affidavit claimed that the matter was not before any court.But Oreye through his Lawyer was able to prove to the court that the matter is before the Supreme court compelling the same Judge vacating the earlier order.
As at press time AMCON’s security men are still at the headquarters of Oreye at Omole estate and his business premises, a hospitality outfit, also located at Omole Estate, Lagos hours after the judgement of the Court even when AMCON’s Lawyer has obtained the certified true copy of the judgement and was in court when the judgement was delivered.
Meanwhile, Oreye has called on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions to ask AMCON to withdraw its’ security men from his residence and hotel in strict obedience to the court order
Meanwhile, after the ruling, Oreye’s lawyer, Barrister Mike Umonnan, commended the court for being the hope of the hopeless and expressed confidence in the judiciary.

Popular music executive, David Adeleke popularly know as Davido, recently bragged that he is tired of making money as he has been making money for the past 11 years.

The FEM crooner made this known while on a boat cruise with his friends and the video is currently making rounds on social media.

In the video, the father of three said he is celebrating because he is rich and young. He bragged about how successful he is and noted that he is tired of securing the bag.

Watch the video below,

In other news, Davido celebrated his mum who would have turned a new age on November 23rd, but lost her to death, March 6th, 2003.

The Music Icon’s late mum, Veronica Adeleke, would have turned a year older today, November 23rd. However, her demise did not stop her son from celebrating her, as he took to his official Instagram to share a throwback photo of himself and his mum.

The father of three showered praises on his late mother and noted that he loves and misses her.

In his words,

“Happy Birthday Mama … love and miss you always.”