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Nnamdi Kanu likely for release soon, Kalu raises hope

Published

4 months ago

December 13, 2024

Leader of Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu

Nnamdi Kanu likely for release soon, Kalu raises hope

If the words of House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu are anything to go by, Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kalu would soon be freed.

The deputy speaker said high-level underground dialogues with relevant authorities were ongoing to secure Kanu’s release.

The IPOB leader, who is facing treason trial, has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since June 2021.

But the deputy speaker reaffirmed the efforts being made to get Kanu out of incarceration as soon as possible.

He dropped the hint in Abuja at a meeting with the South East Legislators Forum. The lawmakers from the State Houses of Assembly from the five Southeast states, were led by the Majority Leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Kingsley Ikoro.

The deputy speaker said a lot was being done behind the scene with the appropriate authorities, expressing optimism that the result of the meetings will soon become visible.

He said: “I am fighting for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to come out. Very soon, it will happen. Please, keep us in your prayers.”

The federal lawmaker, who called for unity and synergy amongst the political leaders in the region, commended the interest of the lawmakers in the ongoing constitution amendment process, charging them to give their full support.

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He canvassed support for the South East Development Commission (SEDC) in realising its objectives and the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing that the government means well for Ndi Igbo and Nigerians in general.

Kalu said: “The power of networking is more than money. Unity is power. We hardly recognise our own and we lose a lot of things because of it. We need to end the sit-at-home, people are destroying themselves. We need to come to together. The power of unity, the power of growth is important.

“I want to also commend you for leaving your various Houses of Assembly to come to the Federal House for exposure. It will help you.

“The benefits are many. It will make your legislative activities to be robust. It will help you to speak from the point of knowledge.

“I also want to thank you for showing interest in the Constitution amendment. We can’t do it alone. I am sure when you sell the issues coming from the federal to the people, they will embrace it.

“On the proposed zonal public hearing, we will want you to support what we are doing in the process of amending the Constitution. We are thinking of starting in first and second quarter of next year.

“As members of the South East Legislative Forum, you need to be strong and have a common legislative agenda. Birth an idea and think of how we can utilise it.

“And that is why I want you to support the SEDC. Some people have said that the President said he wasn’t going to do it. They abandoned the 3Rs. Let’s support the president. We will build capacity.

“We will have regional town hall meeting for all members to sit and discuss what we will do. One of the things that is paramount is security. Let’s develop agriculture, infrastructure, energy, technology amongst others.”

The leader of the delegation said that they came to pay a solidarity visit and pledge their homage to the deputy speaker as the political leader of the Southeast.

Ikoro said: “In the political setting today, you are our leader. You are the leader of Ndi-Igbo. We came to pay a solidarity visit and pledge our homage and said that we are all legislators, members of the State Houses of Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states.”

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TikTok removes 2.4 million videos by Nigerian users in Q4 2024

Published

4 hours ago

March 31, 2025

Trends Admin

TikTok removes 2.4 million videos by Nigerian users in Q4 2024

Bytedance’s short video platform, TikTok, said it removed 2.4 million videos posted by Nigerian users in the fourth quarter of 2024 for violating its content policy.

According to the platform, Nigeria was among the top 50 countries where videos violating its policies emanated from in Q4.

However, the highest number of violations were recorded in the United States, which has the largest number of videos removed at 8.5 million.

ikTok disclosed this in its latest Community Guidelines Enforcement report, which indicated that a total of 153 million videos were removed globally in the period under review.

The company said the top 50 markets in terms of policy violations accounted for approximately 90% of all content removals for the quarter.

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The removed content was said to have violated one or more of TikTok’s policies, which center around Integrity and Authenticity, Privacy and Security, Mental and Behavioural Health, Safety, and Civility, among others.

Accounts removal

In the period under review, TikTok said it removed a total of 211.5 million accounts discovered to be either fake or owned by people suspected to be under 13 years of age.

Fake accounts constituted the largest number of deleted accounts for the period. According to the report, a total of 185.3 million fake accounts were removed.
In addition, 20.5 million accounts suspected to be owned by users under the age of 13 were removed, while 5.6 million accounts were removed for other reasons not stated.

“We remain vigilant in our efforts to detect external threats and safeguard the platform from fake accounts and engagement.

“These threats persistently probe and attack our systems, leading to occasional fluctuations in the reported metrics within these areas.

“In Q4 2024, we also updated the way we classify fake likes and followers removed over time, which contributed to some of the overall increases observed in these categories.

“This update better reflects the scale of our existing work to promptly identify and remove any accounts, content, or activities that seek to artificially boost popularity on our platform,” the company stated in the report.

TikTok removes 2.4 million videos by Nigerian users in Q4 2024

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Two children killed, 20 injured in Gombe stampede – Police

Published

4 hours ago

March 31, 2025

Trends Admin

Gombe State Police Command Spokesman, ASP Buhari Abdullahi

Two children killed, 20 injured in Gombe stampede – Police

The Police Force Gombe State Command has confirmed the death of two children following a stampede at the Gombe main Eid Ground.

The Command’s spokesperson, Buhari Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday in Gombe.

According to Abdullahi, the incident occurred at about 10:45 a.m. at the exit gate of the Eid Ground, immediately after the conclusion of Eid prayers.

“The stampede was caused by inadequate exit access, as a large crowd, primarily women and children, rushed to leave the venue.

“The situation, worsened by intense heat, led to the unfortunate incident,” he said.

He said that 22 individuals were affected and were immediately taken to hospitals for medical attention.

“Regrettably, two of the victims, a four-year-old boy, and six months old baby girl, were pronounced dead by doctors while receiving treatment,” Abdullahi added.

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He extended the command’s condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

“The police urge Eid Ground managers to ensure that all entrance and exit gates remain open to facilitate smooth movement, especially after prayers,” he advised.

In a related development, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has condoled with the families of the deceased and those affected by the tragedy.

In a statement issued by his media aide on Sunday, the governor directed a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the stampede, with the aim of preventing future occurrences.

“The safety and well-being of our citizens remain a top priority. The state government is committed to learning from this incident and implementing corrective measures,” Yahaya said.

He also directed that all medical expenses for the injured victims be fully covered by the state government to ensure their recovery and well-being.

Two children killed, 20 injured in Gombe stampede – Police

(NAN)

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Wike’s achievements will translate into electoral success for APC in 2027, says Tinubu

Published

4 hours ago

March 31, 2025

Trends Admin

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.jpg

Wike’s achievements will translate into electoral success for APC in 2027, says Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has praised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for his outstanding performance, expressing confidence that his achievements could translate into electoral success for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 FCT elections—despite Wike still being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Tinubu made the remarks at the State House, Abuja, on Sunday during a traditional Sallah homage by a delegation of prominent FCT residents to mark Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.

The President commended Wike’s leadership, noting that several infrastructure projects initiated under his administration, have significantly improved the lives of Abuja residents.

“I must thank the Honorable Minister of FCT. It’s worth it. It is nothing other than a privilege to be the landlord of every one of us in Abuja,” Tinubu said.

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He recalled a conversation where Wike requested exemption from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to enable greater financial flexibility for FCT projects.

Tinubu humorously recounted his response:”I asked him, ‘Would that give me an opportunity for my party (APC) to win the election in FCT?’ If this thing goes too much in your favour, you will lose your job!’”

“Today, we are living in peace, and security is improving. The hunger is coming down. Food prices are lowering. Our people are looking for results, and Wike has delivered,” Tinubu added.

Tinubu noted that despite being from the South-South, Wike is successfully driving progress in the Northern-dominated FCT.

“Surprisingly, Nyesom Wike is not from the North. He’s not a Hausa man. Yet his ability to work in the centre of the North is yielding fruits. That is a great reflection of our diversity that we must use for prosperity.”

The President urged Nigerians to embrace unity, stating that, regardless of ethnic and religious differences, progress is only possible through collaboration and shared purpose.