The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, ruling that the case had no merit and had become purely academic following his recent conviction for terrorism.

Kanu was convicted on November 20 by the Federal High Court in Abuja on seven terrorism-related charges, bringing an end to a trial that spanned nearly ten years.

In its judgment, the three-member appellate panel held that Kanu’s allegations of violations of his rights, including his rights to human dignity, adequate medical care, and freedom of religion, could no longer be considered, as he is now a convicted prisoner serving a life sentence.

Justice Boloukuromo Ugo, who delivered the lead judgment, explained that Kanu’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara, confirmed in court that Kanu was currently being held at Sokoto prison.

Since Kanu is no longer in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), the court said it could not order a transfer to Kuje prison, which had been part of his initial request.

Justice Ugo added that Kanu had earlier indicated that he preferred to be kept in regular prison custody rather than DSS detention.

With his conviction now finalized and his transfer to prison custody complete, the court said there was no longer any basis to grant the reliefs he sought.

This appeal stemmed from a July 3 ruling by now-retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, who dismissed Kanu’s fundamental rights suit on the grounds that he did not prove the alleged violations.

Barely a week after a police officer was shot dead in Guto, residents of Bwari Area Council have suffered another violent raid, as armed bandits abducted six teenage girls and a 16-year-old boy during a late-night invasion of Gidan-Bijimi, a settlement in Kawu ward.

The attack occurred around 9:47 p.m on Wednesday, when gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed two homes, firing multiple shots into the air before escaping with their captives.

Kawu sits at the border with Kaduna State and is close to Gidan Dogo and Kweti forests, areas long associated with bandit movement along the FCT–Kaduna corridor.

Gidan-Bijimi itself is near Marke village, another hotspot that has witnessed increased criminal activity in recent months.

The latest abduction happened just days after gunmen struck Guto, another boundary community within Bwari, where police said about 30 attackers attempted to kidnap a family.

Two of the assailants were killed in that encounter, but a police officer also died.

A resident of Kawu, Suleiman Shuaibu, confirmed that the kidnapped girls were between 17 and 23 years old.

“I got a call around 9:53 p.m. that bandits had invaded the village. They abducted six young girls. Unfortunately, my cousin sister is among the victims,” he said, adding that a teenage boy was also taken.

Shuaibu noted that local vigilantes tried to repel the attackers but were forced to retreat due to the bandits’ superior firepower.

Many villagers fled into nearby bushes, while others hid in their homes until morning.

As of Thursday, the kidnappers had not contacted the community, and the police were yet to release an official statement.

The incident has heightened concerns over rising insecurity in Bwari Area Council, especially in communities bordering Kaduna and Niger states.

In response to escalating fears, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) announced fresh security measures on Wednesday following a meeting of the FCT Security Council, chaired by Minister Nyesom Wike.

FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, said the council had fully activated Operation Sweep, a multi-agency security initiative reorganised to tackle emerging threats.

The operation now covers four strategic sectors; Gwagwalada, Bwari, and two major corridors stretching from the city centre through Berger, Wuse, Karu, Mararaba, Karshi, and Orozo.

According to him, the minister has provided “adequate logistics” for joint deployments involving the police, military, DSS, NSCDC, FRSC, Immigration, Correctional Service, and other agencies.

Despite these measures, Wednesday night’s raid highlights the vulnerability of remote suburbs and the boldness of criminal groups pushing closer to the capital.

People in the affected communities say they now live in constant anxiety and are pleading for swift action to rescue the victims and prevent further abductions.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command, has arrested a 32-year-old commercial motorcycle rider, simply identified as Richard, for allegedly defiling his 12-year-old stepdaughter, who has been discharging maggots as a result of the incident.

Kehinde Adeleke, the spokesperson for NSCDC in Osun stated that the suspect was apprehended on Friday, November 14, after the victim’s mother reported the abuse.

According to her, the mother revealed that her husband had defiled her daughter, leading to the disturbing condition discovered upon her return.

The investigation revealed that the victim had been living with her stepfather’s mother, and it was during one of the man’s visits to his mother’s home that he allegedly assaulted the girl by penetrating her.

Further inquiries revealed that the suspect had been consulting a herbalist for various personal issues.

The victim’s mother explained that she had previously left the marriage due to physical abuse but did not take her daughter with her.

After settling into a new residence, she requested her daughter back. Unfortunately, on the day the stepfather was supposed to return her, he committed the assault.

Upon receiving her daughter back, the mother noticed an unpleasant odour and, when examining her, discovered that maggots were emerging from the girl’s private part.

Commandant Igbalawole Sotiyo stated that the suspect confessed to the crime, claiming he had celebrated acquiring a new motorcycle that day by consuming alcohol, which he said led to his actions.

He said the victim has been taken to a hospital for necessary medical treatment.

Commandant Sotiyo emphasised the NSCDC’s commitment to protecting minors, warning that those who prey on children will face severe legal consequences.

He reaffirmed the organisation’s determination to ensure that any perpetrators of such crimes are held accountable.

About one week ago, cheering news broke out like a summer windfall, to the effect that the government of Enugu State, led by Barr. Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah had inaugurated a committee to review state-controlled taxes, revenue, etc, in our dear state.

Unlike the proverbial tree branch overpowered by a hurricane-like summer wind, which is usually remarkably sudden, severe, and damaging in most cases, the news of Peter Mbah’s tax committee was anticipated, healing in effect, timely, and even presented a defining moment for the government in power to correct obvious misconceptions about it.

One of the most virulent misgivings anchored by some sections of the public and projected like a Russian Missile targeting Ukraine’s Kyiv, against this Government in power is both the perceptive and real controversy encircling the implementation of the then-new Government revenue drive.

To underscore the worth of people’s legitimate concerns raised against the tax policy initiated by the present administration and the ones bequeathed by the previous administration, the government had, in October 2025, muted the idea of a ‘Multi-stakeholder Review Committee on Taxation’.

It was in furtherance of this that the Nov. 14, 2025, formal commencement of the committee was hinged.

It is noteworthy to mention at this stage, that even before any ilk of the anticipated successes of the all-inclusive and highly resourceful committee begins its natural incubation, the government of the visionary Governor Peter Mbah has by initiating the committee, demonstrated its very latent and ever undulating inclination to be invasively responsive in positive terms to the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Enugu State.

But that is far from being exhaustive if we are a bit bent on enlisting some of the salient, statutory, economic, and to a great extent, historical importance of this tax review committee.

The tax-paying public of Enugu, who are primarily the legitimate stakeholders whenever issues of internally generated revenue, IGR of the government are being discussed whether at the stage of policy making or implementation, now has the deserved but previously denied opportunity to participate in negotiating the most appropriate and suitable scale upon which they are to be taxed.

I had decided on making this contribution to enable me remind both the inquisitive and phlegmatic members of the public that in as much as the governor has demonstrated leadership by coming up with a review team, so long as the team members are by all intent expected to discharge their duties with utmost clinical precision, the general public equally have humongous duties to execute in order to appropriate the peak of derivables from the governor’s unprecedented kind gesture defining this historic public involvement platform which the government has created.

Yes, it is expected that all those who have, before now, raised all forms of cries against the government’s chosen IGR drive in the last two years are, by this committee, called to duty to directly participate in issues of decision-making related to taxation matters.

The landlord association, the trade union leaders, the Market/traders union leaders, the transport union-notably the National Union of Road Transport Workers, the Tricycle operators, the hotel owners, civil servants and indeed everybody in Enugu are by this write-up reminded that it is time to forward your suggestions and way forward regarding the state tax laws and implementation to the committee before it’s life cycle elapses.

Not doing so at this point in time will mean that previous outcries against government tax policy are nothing but a media creation. But it is far from it. But then the public has the duty to prove it now as responsible citizens

It is time to be a good citizen with a committed show of liveliness to your civic duties. Mobilize your section of the society and come up with suggestions on what you think the taxes should look like before the door is finally shut.

This is because any time the committee finishes its work and submits its recommendations to the governor, it will represent the decision of everybody that is paying taxes in Enugu State, and the governor that I know will honour it.

Any further complaints relating to taxation will no longer be the fault of the government or the implementers once the implementation of the committee recommendations begins.

Inaugurating the committee, on the 14th of Nov. 2025, the Secretary to the state government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who represented Governor Peter Mbah, asked the committee to “review existing harmonisation/consolidation laws and other revenue-related laws in Enugu State; review the implementation of such laws and their impact; identify and evaluate all revenue heads under the control of Enugu State (excluding federally administered taxes like VAT and Stamp Duties); identify all areas of duplication and multiple taxation across the state, including the local government; examine the impact of the expansion of the tax bracket and issues of a culture of non-tax payment; and assess the fairness, transparency, and efficiency of current tax rates and collection processes in Enugu.”

To the committee, there is not much to add to this except that its members should first see the work as a direct service to the people of Enugu State.

You have all been given the task of harmonizing the wishes of the Enugu public regarding how they contribute to the running of the government of the State.

It is never in contemplation whether the committee will succeed, but be reminded that such success has to be created, defined, and upheld by you all.

The committee membership includes the Solicitor-General of Enugu State, Ikechukwu Ezenwukwa, as Chairman, and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Revenue Mobilisation, Adenike Okebu, the Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Enugu State chapter, Comrade, Ben Asogwa; Chairman of State Market Association, Chief _Chinwuba Igwesi_; Head of Legal, Enugu State Inland Revenue Service, _Ngozi Ezema;_ Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Markets, _Chief Chinedu Mbah;_ 1st Deputy President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ECCIMA, _Engr. Nnanyelugo Onyemelukwe,_ Deputy Council Chairman and representative of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Enugu State, _Hon. Paul Okwo,_ and representative of the civil society, _Barr. Crownwell Chibuzo._

The government of His Excellency Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, having gone to this extent to establish a committee to address public complaints against the state tax policy, has once again proved that the current state government is only interested in the welfare of Enugu people against the common narrative by the naysayers.

It is left for the citizenry to reciprocate by committing themselves to respond in the most appropriate way to solve the issues of taxation once and for all.

Agbo is a Public Affairs Analyst and Political Commentator