Kanu lists Wike, Buratai, Danjuma, Umahi, others as witnesses as defence begins amid failed protest

By: Zagazola Makama

Hours after a poorly attended nationwide protest demanding his release, detained leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, made a dramatic turn on Tuesday, declaring readiness to open his defence in the ongoing terrorism trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The protest, which was led in parts of Abuja by the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 elections, Omoyele Sowore, recorded low turnout across the country as residents largely shunned the call for mass action.

In many cities, including Enugu, Owerri, Onitsha, Port Harcourt, Aba, and Umuahia, residents said they chose to stay away from the demonstration because the matter was already before the court and feared it could be hijacked by miscreants to unleash violence.

In Abuja, where Sowore led a small group of demonstrators to the Federal High Court complex, police dispersed the gathering and arrested 13 persons, including Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, and his brother, Emmanuel Kanu.

However, the detained IPOB leader filed a motion of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to continue with his trial. He filed the objection the same day a team of medical experts enpanelled by the court to determine his health status, turned in a report that he was medically fit to stand trial.

In a fresh motion he personally filed on Tuesday, October 21, Kanu assured the court that he was prepared to begin his defence “pursuant to the order of this honourable court made on the 16th day of October 2015, directing the defendant to commence his defence on the 24th day of October 2025.”

Kanu informed the court, presided by Justice James Omotosho, of his plan to call a total of 23 witnesses divided into two categories. The first category, he said, would be those he called “ordinary but material witnesses”.

He further informed the court that his second category of witnesses would be “vital and compellable” and shall be “summoned under Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011.”

In the notice Kanu personally signed, suggesting that he may have fired his team of lawyers led by Kanu Agabi, SAN, the IPOB leader told the court that, in view of the number of witnesses he intends to call, the court should consider granting a 90-day timeframe to enable him conclude his defence.

He told the court that he would “testify on his own behalf, providing a sworn account of the facts, denying the allegations, and explaining the political context of his statements and actions.”

Among those Kanu listed as “compellable witnesses” are a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd), as well as Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Hope Uzodinma, Governors of Lagos and Imo States respectively.

He further listed current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Nwike, his Works’ counterpart, Dave Umahi, and the immediate past governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu. He also listed the immediate past Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, the immediate past Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, his then-collegue at the State Security Service, SSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, and several withnesses whose identities he didn’t reveal.

Kanu, in the notice, promised to “provide the sworn statements of all voluntary witnesses to this honourable court, and to notify the prosecution within a reasonable time.”

He assured that “no precious time of the honourable court would be delayed,” stressing, “and it would interest the honourable court that and the general public that justice is not only done but manifestly seen to have been done.”

Kanu’s motion offering to open his defence came on the same day a magistrate court in Abuja ordered the remand of his special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor and 12 others who were among those protesting against Kanu’s continued trial.

The police charged the 13 persons with various offences, including criminal conspiracy, disobedience of a lawful order, inciting disturbance, and disturbance of public peace, contravening sections 152, 114, and 113 of the Penal Code Law.

The 13 defendants named in two separate first information reports (FIRs) are Ejimakor, Kanu’s brother, Emmanuel, Joshua Emmanuel, Wilson Anyalewechi, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, Clinton Chimeneze, Gabriel Joshua, Isiaka Husseini, Onyekachi Ferdinand, Amadi Prince, Edison Ojisom, Godwill Obioma, and Chima Onuchukwu.

The magistrate, who stood down the case, later ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until October 24 for arraignment.

As the court resumes on Thursday, observers say Kanu’s decision to represent himself and summon high-profile witnesses marks a new phase in a case that has tested Nigeria’s judicial system, national security, and political tolerance.

Meanwhile, security has been intensified in and around the Federal High Court complex, as authorities brace for possible crowd movements when the trial resumes.

Kanu lists Wike, Buratai, Danjuma, Umahi, others as witnesses as defence begins amid failed protest

Over 480, 000 children vaccinated against measles, rubella in Gombe State-Official

Mr Abdulkarim Aliyu, the State Immunisation Officer, Gombe State Primary HealthCare Development Agency said that the state had successfully vaccinated no fewer than 481, 734 as of day three of the ongoing integrated vaccination campaign in the state.

Aliyu disclosed this on Tuesday in Gombe after monitoring the immunisation in different communities in the state in company of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nigeria team.
He stated that the campaign was targeting 1.7 million children for measles-rubella vaccination.

According to him, over 30 per cent of eligible children had been vaccinated as of evening of day three of the campaign.

“About 1.8million doses of MR vaccines were received for Gombe State and we are targeting 1.7million children.

“ For now, 481, 734 children have been vaccinated as of the evening of day three and if we add Day four then the figure would be higher.

“For the Oral Polio Vaccine, we received over 1 million doses and as of the evening of day three of the campaign, 253, 772 children have been reached with the vaccine,” he said.
Aliyu expressed optimism that with the large turn out and low resistance witnessed so far, the state would meet its target by at least 95 per cent.

Our Correspondent who monitored the exercise in some selected PHCs and schools in Gombe metropolis reports that there were large turn out for vaccination.
Community health workers were seen at different schools, administering vaccines to eligible children.

Mrs Asmau Madi, a resident of Gidan Magani who visited the PHC in her community to get her child vaccinated commended the state government, UNICEF and other partners for their efforts at reducing child mortality.

Madi said since embracing vaccination with the support of her husband, her children’s health had been improved, minimising the tendency of them falling ill regularly.
She encouraged women in the state to bring out their children for the exercise, adding that the vaccines were safe for children.

Mr Abdullahi Bello, the Ward Focal Person for immunisation, Bolari West said that the Ward has 16 settlements being covered by his team.
Bello stated that there had been massive turn out of residents for the exercise since the beginning of the campaign four days ago.
He said as of Day 3, over 3000 children had been vaccinated, stressing that the ongoing campaign had yielded better acceptance than previous exercises.

“The level of awareness for this campaign was massive and it covered all stakeholders at the grassroots and that’s why we are getting more acceptance and no rejection for now,” he said.
Our Correspondent reports that Dr Rownak Khan, the Deputy Representative, UNICEF Nigeria; Dr Kabiru Shall, UNICEF Nigeria Immunisation Manager and Oluseyi Olosunde, UNICEF Nigeria Health Officer had been in the state monitoring the exercuse for the past two days.

They visited the state central cold store and similar facilities at some LGAs to monitor the vaccine management situation while also visiting some traditional leaders in Billiri LGA to solicit their support.

The 2025 Integrated Measles Rubella Campaign is led by the Gombe State government and supported by WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Rotary International, and the Gates Foundation — all working together as partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
The campaign aims to vaccinate children aged 0 months to 14 years against Measles and Rubella, Polio, HPV and routine immunisation.

The vaccines provide protection against childhood killer diseases and have been used worldwide for over 50 years, saving millions of lives.

Army troops rescued victims as Bandit attack in Kaduna leaves one dead, several injured

By: Zagazola Makama

One person has been confirmed dead while others sustained injuries following a raid by armed bandits on Idijiyi Unguwan Danladi Village in Kallah District, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Sources said that the attack occurred on October 19, around 8:00 p.m., when unidentified gunmen invaded the village and abducted an unspecified number of residents.

Prompt response by the Nigerian army strike force led to the recovery of some victims, who were found along Agwallan Centre with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

The deceased, identified as Agnes Zafaniya, 28, from Afogo Village, was certified dead by medical personnel and released to her family for Christian burial. Other rescued victims, including Augustine Madara, 31, and Zafaniya Alhaji, 42, were receiving treatment in hospital.

The troops have intensified efforts to locate additional victims and apprehend the perpetrators. Investigation into the incident is ongoing, and further developments will be communicated.

Army troops rescued victims as Bandit attack in Kaduna leaves one dead, several injured