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Nnamdi Kanu sues NIA DG over role in his torture, detention in Kenya
Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a suit at the Abia State High Court sitting in Umuahia, against Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, the DG of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, for his tortious role in the eight-day ‘false imprisonment’ of the IPOB leader in Kenya.
The latest suit dated November 23, according to Kanu’s Special Counsel, Mr Aloy Ejimakor, “is prompted by newly discovered evidence that implicated the NIA boss beyond the infamous extraordinary rendition.”
It will be recalled that of all the several suits that have emanated from the rendition of Kanu, this is the first against Ahmed Abubakar, either in his personal or official capacity.
Kanu in his statement of claims said that: “On October 14, 2015, Claimant was arrested in Lagos, a few days after his arrival from his base in London, United Kingdom and was subsequently charged with certain offences.
“Following his arrest, Claimant was detained for Eighteen (18) months and was later released on bail in April 2017, whereupon Claimant returned to his said residence at Afara-Ukwu Ibeku, in Umuahia North LGA of Abia State where he stayed and awaited his next court date scheduled for October 17, 2017.
“On or about 10th September 2017, while Claimant was resting at his said residence in Umuahia, the Nigerian Army, assisted by other Security agencies launched lethal military invasions against the Claimant at his said residence in Umuahia.
“In the course of the invasion, Claimant managed to escape to a safe location from where he managed to flee overseas to save his life.
“In the course of time, Claimant instituted a fundamental rights Suit on grounds of the said military invasion and the court held that said invasion amounted to a violation of Claimant’s fundamental rights, whereupon the court awarded the Claimant damages and an order for a public apology and also held that “It is the view of this Honourable Court that the Agent of the First Respondent set out as pythons to terminate the life of the Applicant.” Claimant hereby pleads the Judgment and the Judgment Order as documents Claimant shall rely on at the trial. See Annexures 1 and 2.
“In the course of his sojourns and search for a safe haven, Claimant legally entered the Republic of Kenya on 12th May, 2021. Claimant hereby pleads the relevant copies of Claimant’s passport as a document Claimant shall rely on at the trial. See Annexure 3.
“On 19th June, 2021, acting in bad faith and/or abuse of his public office, the Defendant and his confederates, agents and privies (hereafter: the Defendant), falsely arrested the Claimant at the parking lot of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi Kenya without the authority of the law of the Republic of Kenya, in that the Defendant arrested the Plaintiff without any Kenyan arrest warrant or such other like authority issuing from a Kenyan law enforcement agency, court or government of Kenya.
“Following the said false arrest, the Defendant, acting in bad faith and abuse of his public office, falsely imprisoned the Claimant for Eight (days) at a secret, non-official place in Nairobi, Kenya, whereat the Defendant physically and mentally tortured the Claimant.
“Throughout the duration of the Claimant’s imprisonment, the Defendant – acting in bad faith and abuse of his public office – willfully refused to present or produce the Claimant to a Kenyan police station or court of law of other appropriate Kenyan authority, such as the Kenyan immigration authorities.
“The false imprisonment of the Claimant was without the consent of the Claimant; and the Kenyan government has publicly and categorically denied any role in the arrest and imprisonment of the Claimant in Kenya.
” Following a fundamental rights suit brought by the Claimant against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and others (excluding the Defendant herein) before the Federal High Court, the court – on 26th October 2022 – ruled in favour of the Claimant, stating as follows:
“I declare that the manner of arrest and detention of the Applicant in Kenya, his continued detention in Abuja, his subjection to physical and mental trauma by the Respondents, the inhuman and degrading treatment meted out to the Applicant amounts to a brazen violation of the Applicant’s fundamental right to dignity of his person and threat to life under Section 34 (1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)”. Claimant hereby pleads this Judgment Order and the Judgment and shall rely on same at the trial of this suit. See Annexures 4 and 5.
“By virtue of his public office, the Defendant has a public duty to act in good faith, not to abuse his public office and to ensure that the arrest and imprisonment of the Claimant in Kenya was conducted in accordance with law.
“By falsely arresting and imprisoning the Claimant in Kenya, the Defendant breached his statutory duty requiring him to arrest and/or imprison the Claimant in Kenya only in accordance with law.
“The said false arrest and false imprisonment of the Claimant has been condemned by the United Nations Human Rights Council, which through its Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, rendered a binding Opinion directing Defendant’s employer (the Federal Republic of Nigeria) to release the Claimant unconditionally and accord him the opportunity of seeking compensation/reparations.
“Consequently, Mr. Kanu’s arrest without an arrest warrant and with no explanation as to the reasons for his arrest violated his rights under article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 9 of the Covenant and principles 2, 4, 10, and 36 (2) of the Body of Principles.”
Kanu made the following prayers:
“A DECLARATION that the Defendant’s arrest of the Claimant and his imprisonment of the Claimant at said location in Nairobi, Kenya amounted to false arrest and false imprisonment.
“A DECLARATION that the Defendant acted in bad faith and/or abused his public office in falsely arresting and falsely imprisoning the Claimant at the said location in Kenya.
“AN ORDER directing the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of N20,000,000,000.00 (Twenty Billion Naira only) being general and exemplary damages.
“AN ORDER of the court directing the Defendant to write and deliver to the Claimant, an unreserved personal letter of apology. The letter of apology shall also be prominently and boldly published full-page in two Nigerian Newspapers of national circulation, namely: Guardian Newspaper and Sun Newspaper.” (Vanguard)
..As court srikes out charges against CEO, Energy FM Enugu, Pastor Ogbuanu, 3 others, Awards N1m cost against her
An Enugu State Magistrate Court has struck out a four-count criminal charge brought against a Lagos-based cleric and Chief Executive Officer, Energy FM Enugu, Pastor Basil Ogbuanu, and three of his workers.
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The court also awarded a N1m cost against Mrs. Patricia Nwobodo, the wife of a former governor of Old Anambra State, Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, for her failure to prosecute the case.
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The ruling, delivered by His Worship D.K. Ekoh at the Enugu South Magisterial District, followed the persistent absence of the complainants since the inception of the matter in January 2026.
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The defendants, Ezeh Patrick Muoneke, 46; Arinze Onoja, 26; Sedro Theodore, 28; and Basil Ogbuanu, 56, were arraigned on January 20, 2026, on charges bordering on conspiracy, deprivation of liberty, and assault.
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The four- count charge levelled against them read:
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“That you Eze Patrick Muoneke ‘m’, Arinze Only a ‘m’, on the 16th day of January, 2026 at about 1300hours at Patin-Son Estate, Ozubulu Street, Independence Layout, Enugu within Enugu Magisterial District did conspire among themselves to commit misdemeanor to wit: Deprivation of Liberty and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 496(a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. 11 the Revise Laws of Enugu State, 2004.
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Count 11: That you Ede Patrick Muoneke ‘m’, Arinze Onoja ‘m’, Sedro Theodore ‘m’ and Ogbuanu Basil ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully confine the movement and detain Mrs Patricia M. Nwobodo ‘f’ against her will from 11hours to 13hours and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 316 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. 11 the Revise Laws of Enugu State 2004.
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Count 111: That you Ede Patrick Muoneke ‘m’, Arinze Onoja ‘m’, Sedro Theodore ‘m’ and Ogbuanu Basil ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully confine the movement and detain Police Constable Ugwu Emmanuel ‘m’ against his will from 1100hours to 1300hours and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 316 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. 11 the Revise Laws of Enugu State, 2004.
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Count IV: That you Ede Patrick Muoneke ‘m’ Arinze Onoja ‘m’, Sedro Theodore and Ogbuanu Basil ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully assault Police Constable Ugwu Emmanuel ‘m’ by beating him all over his body and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 252 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. 11 the Revise Laws of Enugu State, 2004.
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However, during the proceedings on April 15, 2026, the police prosecutor, B.C. Nnadozie, admitted that he had not seen the complainants since the matter started.
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Nnadozie told the court that he could not “manufacture oath” or serve witness statements on the defence as he had no contact with the nominal complainants.
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Counsel for the defendants, Emeka Oko, urged the court to dismiss the charge, noting that his clients, who are busy artisans and a Lagos resident, had suffered by traveling to Enugu for a case the complainants were not interested in pursuing.
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Delivering his ruling, Magistrate Ekoh lambasted the conduct of the complainants, describing it as a clear indication of their lack of desire to prosecute the matter.
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“A complainant whose complaint was investigated and to her knowledge is aware of the charge proffered against the defendants decides to stay in her luxury home without prosecuting her complaint, should as well pay damages to the person(s) she wrongfully complained against”, he said
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The court subsequently struck out the charge and ordered that the defendants must not be re-arrested on the strength of the same complaint.
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The trial Magistrate also granted the application for N1m cost against the complainant to be paid to the defendants.
Wife of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has said that the ex-Biafra leader was not just synonymous with fight for justice but also a strong believer in the power of knowledge.
This is as the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gautier Mignot, called for climate action, pointing out that it was more detrimental to do nothing.
He delivered the guest lecture on the theme- “Sustainable and Climate Resilience Future: Beyond Rhetorics,” on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at the 4th Annual Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu Memorial Lecture.
The event was organised by the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam, Anambra State, on its Founders’ Day as part of the 16th convocation ceremony.
The minister said the event was not a mere ceremony but a convergence of history, intellect, and legacy.
She said: “We gather to honour and reflect on the life of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a towering figure whose contributions to Nigeria’s political evolution and whose unwavering commitment to the dignity of his people remain indelible. He was not only a soldier and statesman, but also a man of ideas, a leader who believed in the power of knowledge, justice, and principled leadership.
“Dim Ojukwu’s legacy compels us to ask difficult questions about nationhood, equity, inclusion, and the responsibilities of leadership. His life reminds us that leadership is not defined by convenience, but by courage, sacrifice, and the willingness to stand for what is just, even in the face of overwhelming odds.”
The minister stated that the university was promoting climate resilience, the same way Odumegwu-Ojukwu did.
According to her, the Igbo leader loved planting trees, and understood long before many others, even before climate action became more amplified, that respecting nature’s balance was important and that “trees were the silent guardians of our air, our soil and our future.
“Ladies and gentlemen, as we reflect on the life and legacy of Dim Ojukwu, let us recommit ourselves to building a Nigeria anchored on justice, unity, and shared prosperity. Let us invest in education, empower our youth, and strengthen our institutions, for these are the pillars upon which sustainable development rests.”
She also charged the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the institution, urging them to see the knowledge they had acquired as mere foundation because their character, resilience, and integrity will define their journey.
“Be ambassadors of this great institution, uphold its values, and contribute meaningfully to national and global development,” she stated while further highlighting the importance of strengthening the nexus between academia and policy.
The minister said that universities must continue to serve as think tanks, generating ideas and research that can inform government policies, particularly in areas of foreign relations, economic diplomacy, and national development strategies.
She said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would remain open to such collaborations, as they work towards projecting Nigeria’s image positively on the global stage.
She wished the University and its brand new Governing Council, a highly successful founders’ day celebrations.
The EU Ambassador, Mignot described the minister as a major promoter of Nigeria-EU partnership.
The Vice Chancellor of COOU, Prof Kate Omenugha extolled the Minister for the leverage she had given the university by facilitating their reach especially in the diplomatic community.
The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has formally tendered his resignation and proposed the establishment of a Coordinating Minister for Energy to drive integrated reforms across Nigeria’s power, gas, and related sectors.
Adelabu announced his resignation in a letter dated April 22, 2026, and signed by Bolaji Tunji, his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations.
In the letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
He, however, emphasised that sustaining and consolidating the gains recorded in the power sector requires stronger coordination at the highest level, including the appointment of a central authority to harmonise policy direction and execution.
Speaking further on the development, Tunji said the minister expressed deep appreciation to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve, describing his tenure as a privilege to contribute to national development.
Adelabu noted that his decision aligns with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which precludes serving political office holders from contesting elections. He further disclosed that his gubernatorial aspiration dates back to 2016 during his tenure as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
In his three-page letter, the minister outlined key achievements recorded during his tenure, including the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023, which decentralised the electricity market and improved the investment climate.
He highlighted that peak power generation rose to over 6,000 megawatts, driven by the integration of the Zungeru Hydropower Plant and the rehabilitation of thermal power plants. Transmission capacity was also strengthened through grid upgrades under the Presidential Power Initiative.
Adelabu further cited notable improvements in the distribution segment, including enhanced regulatory oversight, improved revenue collection, and progress in reducing Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses.
Efforts to close the metering gap, he added, gained momentum through the Presidential Metering Initiative and the World Bank-supported Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP).
On the financial front, Adelabu stated that tariff reforms and a ₦4 trillion debt restructuring programme increased market revenues from ₦1 trillion in 2023 to ₦2.3 trillion in 2025, restoring investor confidence and placing the sector on a path to sustainability.
Despite these gains, the minister acknowledged persistent challenges, including gas supply constraints, infrastructure vandalism, and the need for full commercialisation of the electricity value chain.
He therefore proposed key measures to sustain progress, including the implementation of cost-reflective tariffs with targeted subsidies, recapitalisation of distribution companies, accelerated nationwide metering, sustained transmission investments, and strengthened regulatory enforcement.
“Central to his recommendations is the creation of a Coordinating Minister for Energy to provide strategic oversight and ensure synergy across power, gas, water resources, and environmental sectors,” Tunji said.
“According to him, this approach is critical to improving gas supply for thermal generation, optimising hydroelectric resources, and accelerating renewable energy deployment.”
Tunji added that Adelabu remains committed to ensuring a smooth and seamless handover process, while expressing gratitude to the President for the confidence and support extended to him throughout his tenure.
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