Emmanuel Eneoli, the former President General of Udi Town in Enugu State, has been remanded in custody at the Enugu Correctional Facility following allegations of vandalizing electricity infrastructure in the community and other offenses.

The remand order was issued on January 20, 2025, by Magistrate S.O. Chukwuani of Court 1, Enugu North, in connection with the charges against Eneoli and others regarding their involvement in damaging electricity installations and promoting violence within the community.

Eneoli is facing a four-count charge, which includes accusations of inciting violence and conspiracy to promote local war.

The charges are as follows:

Count I: “That you, Emmanuel Eneoli and others now at large, between April and December 2024, in Umuoka community, Udi local government area, conspired to commit a felony by promoting local war and inciting violence, an offense punishable under Section 495(a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State, Nigeria, 2004.”

Count II: “That you, Emmanuel Eneoli and others, aided and abetted in carrying out warlike activities against Chief Benjamin Onyia, the incumbent Chairman of Umuoka community, Chief Flavor Eze, and other community leaders, an offense punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State, Nigeria, 2004.”

Count III: “That you, Emmanuel Eneoli and others, conspired to commit the felony of vandalism, an offense punishable under Section 6 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

Count IV: “That you, Emmanuel Eneoli and others, unlawfully tampered with and damaged electric fittings/powerlines supplying electricity to the Umuoka community, an offense punishable under Section 9 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

The case has been adjourned to February 3, 2025, for further proceedings.

A police inspector identified as Ibrahim has been found dead in a hotel room following an encounter with a woman he met online.

The tragic event unfolded early last Thursday, three months after he had invited Maryam Abba, a woman from Dutse, Jigawa State, to meet him.

According to eyewitnesses, the two checked into the hotel on Wednesday evening and engaged in intimate relations.

On the following morning, around 6am, it was reported that after another encounter, Ibrahim began to exhibit erratic breathing before falling unconscious.

Concerned by his condition, Maryam tried to revive him by sprinkling water on him, but when there was no response, she urgently called the hotel manager, Danlami Palasa.

He then alerted the Gwagwalada police division.

Upon arrival, officers discovered the inspector’s lifeless body in the hotel room.

His remains were transported to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, where medical personnel confirmed his death.

Investigators retrieved several items from the room, including a watermelon, a substance believed to be an aphrodisiac, a phone charger, and the police inspector’s ID card.

Authorities are conducting further investigations into the cause of his death.

Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has filed a suit at the High Court of Enugu State against Bashir Ahmad, former Special Assistant on Digital Communication to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, for defamation related to terrorism.

Kanu, through his legal team led by Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, stated that Ahmad defamed him on or about January 19, 2025, through a post on the X App (formerly Twitter).

Kanu alleged that Ahmad’s statement, later published on Talkofnaija.com and phoenix-browser.com, was false and damaging.

Ahmad had stated, “Anybody advocating for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, a terrorist and the leader of the proscribed terrorist organization IPOB, should be considered a sworn enemy of this country.”

In a post on his X account, Ahmad referred to Kanu as a terrorist and described anyone supporting his release as a “sworn enemy of this country.”

He added that he would only support Kanu’s release if the separatist leader underwent rehabilitation and renounced his derogatory views about Nigeria.

Ahmad stated, “I can only advocate for his release when he is truly rehabilitated, so he stops seeing Nigeria as a zoo and the citizens as animals that deserve to be brutally killed.”

The court documents sighted by DAILY GAZETTE, Kanu is demanding N100 billion in damages.

He argued that Ahmad’s defamatory statements portrayed him as, “A convict who has been pronounced guilty for the crime of terrorism. A terrorist or a felon who engages in an act of terrorism. An irresponsible and violent person that has no regards for the sanctity of human lives. An irresponsible person that has no regards for the sanctity of being granted bail.”

Kanu claimed that these words, in their natural meaning, suggested that he was a terrorist and undermined his reputation, integrity, and honesty.

The IPOB leader contended that the defamatory statements went beyond fair comment, were malicious, and were meant to damage his character and public image.

Kanu further argued that these publications had a widespread impact, particularly in Enugu and Nigeria, where he has many supporters, colleagues, and family members.

Kanu said, “The Defendant’s libelous publications and utterances have seriously injured the Claimant’s character, credit, reputation and integrity. That the Defendant has by his defamatory publications brought the Claimant to scandal, contempt, odium, public humiliation and embarrassment for which he is entitled to monetary damages, injunctive relief and apology among others.”

The IPOB leader also sought a declaration that Ahmad’s statements about him being a terrorist were defamatory and libelous.

Among other demands, Kanu called for Ahmad to issue an unreserved apology in a letter that should be published in full-page advertisements in three national newspapers—The SUN, Daily Trust, and Guardian.

Kanu also requested a perpetual injunction, restraining Ahmad from making further defamatory statements, and sought an order for Ahmad to pay N100 billion in general and exemplary damages as well as the cost of the suit.

The Federal Government has unveiled the National Health Fellows Program, aimed at engaging youth across all 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Monday by President Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the government called for applications from Nigerians aged between 25 and 35 for the initiative.

The program will see selected candidates working in their local government areas, where they will be compensated and provided with the necessary resources to contribute positively to the health sector.

Onanuga emphasized that the application deadline for the program is January 27, 2025.

Eligibility Criteria for the Program:

• Age between 25 and 35 years
• A bachelor’s degree in health-related fields, IT, or social sciences
• Demonstrable interest or experience in public health, health-related NGOs, or community leadership
• Availability to commit full-time to the fellowship
• Must be an indigene of the local government area being applied for
• Ownership of a smartphone with data capabilities (for communication via WhatsApp, Zoom, etc.)
• A recommendation from a university dean, NYSC place of assignment, or a reputable organization vouching for character and leadership
• Strong analytical skills and entrepreneurial drive.

Just two days after a deadly tanker explosion claimed the lives of over 99 people in Niger State, another truck accident in the state has led to a similar incident, with residents rushing to scoop oil from the fallen vehicle.

The latest event occurred in Bida town on Monday, when a tanker carrying groundnut oil fell near the AYM Shafa filling station.

In a widely shared video, people, mainly young individuals, were seen collecting the oil that had spilled from the truck.

While some gathered the oil, others quickly fled to avoid any dangerous situation.

Residents in the area spoke about the incident.

Yinusa Jiya, a local, said that the individuals were not deterred by the previous tragedy, even though they initially thought the tanker might be carrying petrol.

Fatimah Mohammed, another eyewitness, confirmed that the tanker was indeed transporting groundnut oil.

This incident comes just days after the catastrophic tanker explosion near Dikko Junction in Gurara Local Government Area, which killed at least 98 people.

The death toll has continued to rise as more victims succumbed to injuries in the hospital.

In response to the situation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to intensify its public awareness campaign against the dangerous practice of scooping fuel from fallen tankers.

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) has expressed concern over the high number of casualties and the extent of the injuries, while the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed that 86 bodies were buried in a mass grave on Sunday.

Several others remain hospitalized with severe burns.

A Kaduna State High Court has once again denied bail to Alhaji Bashir Sa’idu, the former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, and ordered his return to detention.

Sa’idu is facing 10 charges related to alleged money laundering, embezzlement, and theft.

The charges were read aloud in court on Tuesday before Justice Isa Aliyu, with Sa’idu pleading not guilty to the allegations.

Among the charges, it was claimed that Sa’idu, during his tenure as the Commissioner for Finance in 2022, sold $45 million in government hard currency at a rate far below the parallel market rate, causing the state to lose approximately N3.96 billion.

The prosecution accuses Sa’idu of laundering this amount in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Sa’idu’s defense lawyer, M. I. Abubakar, applied for bail, noting that his client had been in custody for 21 days following his arrest on January 2, 2025.

Abubakar argued that bail would provide Sa’idu with the opportunity to properly prepare his defense against the charges.

However, the prosecution, led by Professor Nasiru Aliyu, opposed the bail request, citing legal provisions that require the prosecution a seven-day period to respond to a bail application.

After a brief recess, Justice Aliyu ruled that the prosecution should be given the necessary time to respond and adjourned the case until January 23, 2025, for further hearing on the bail application.

The hearing of a suit seeking to halt the allocation of statutory funds to the 44 local government councils in Kano State has been adjourned due to the absence of defense counsel, John Baiyeshea (SAN), at the Federal High Court in Kano.

The plaintiffs, Abdullahi Abbas, Aminu Aliyu-Tiga, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), represented by their lawyer Sunday Olowomoran Esq, filed an ex parte motion on October 28, 2024.

The defendants in the case include the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Attorney General of the Federation, among others.

The plaintiffs seek a court order to prevent the federal government, CBN, and Accountant-General from disbursing funds to the 44 local governments in Kano.

They also seek a declaration that the leadership of these local governments was not democratically elected, contrary to Section 7(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

During the resumed hearing on Monday, Justice Simon Amobeda informed the court that Baiyeshea (SAN), the counsel for the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), was indisposed for medical reasons and had requested an adjournment.

The judge then ordered that all applications requiring a response be filed before the next adjourned date, which is set for March 4, 2025.

Femi Falana (SAN), representing the Kano State Attorney General, informed the court that the plaintiffs had served them with six processes earlier on Monday.

The legal representatives for the Kano State Government and other respondents did not object to the adjournment.

Counsel for those seeking to be joined in the suit, Sadiqu Sammani-Lawan, stated that their clients, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the National Union of Teachers, and health workers have a significant interest in the case.