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Kanu: Negotiations with FG on political solution at advanced stage –Ohanaeze

Published

5 years ago

November 15, 2021

Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu

Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, may soon be released if ongoing negotiations spearheaded by lawmakers from the South East and Igbo leaders pull through.

In June, Kanu was intercepted in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria for trial.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, had revealed that the arrest followed a collaborative effort between security agencies in Nigeria and Interpol.

Kanu has since been rearraigned for the continuation of his trial on charges bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, unlawful possession of firearms and management of an unlawful society.

In the South East, the detention of Kanu has led to a series of unrests with IPOB declaring a ‘sit-at-home’ every week since the continuation of his trial began.

Malami had last week said government was open to political solution for the release of Kanu and the Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo (Sunday Igboho).

Apex Igbo organizsation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo lauded government for toeing the path of dialogue and indicated readiness of Igbo leaders to meet with the government team.

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This is a joint body comprising South East Council of Traditional Rulers and the representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops asked the Federal Government to swiftly roll out modalities for the proposed political solution.

The joint body acknowledged the AGF’s statement was in line with the proposal earlier made by the group and other well-meaning persons and groups in Nigeria.

A statement by Most Rev. Anthony Obinna, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe and Most Rev. Chibuzo Raphael Opoko also commended Kanu and the entire leadership of the IPOB for listening to their appeal and calling off the sit-at-home order. It said the action has offered some relief to the already distressed social and economic life in the region.

Part of the statement said: “This body, therefore, eagerly awaits the concrete steps that would be taken in this regard.

“The joint body is relieved that the Anambra State gubernatorial election was conducted without any major incidents or breach of the peace. It also commends the people of Anambra State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the security forces, the National Peace Committee, and all the other actors who contributed to the successful conduct of the election.

“The joint body is highly disturbed by the persistent complaints by the IPOB legal team about the difficulties it encounters in dealing with the Department of State Services (DSS) and, especially, the sad events which occurred during Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s appearance in court last Wednesday, November 10. This body urges the court to affirm the fundamental rights of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, his lawyers, and other stakeholders. Failure to do so would lend weight to the suspicion in some quarters of a planned secret trial, as well as neutralise all the efforts being made to establish peace in the South East.

“The joint body acknowledges the roles played by various other Igbo organisations and groups in fostering peace in the South East zone and calls on all to sustain the current effort until true peace, based on justice and equity, is achieved in our land.”

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However, special counsel to the IPOB leader, Aloy Ejimakor, warned that no negotiation would take place on behalf of his client without his being free.

“There cannot be any negotiation while Kanu is in chains, that was the situation for other freedom fighters like Nelson Mandela of South Africa under apartheid regime.”

But multiple sources told Daily Sun that selected leaders from the South East have met with heads of security agencies on the issue. One of the sources listed senators, members of the House of Representatives, governors, ministers, traditional rulers and officials of the British High Commission in Nigeria as part of a wider team meeting with relevant government agencies.

He said two important leaders would be met in the coming days for final talks on the issue that may eventually lead to the release of Kanu. He said the negotiating team has reached out to Malami and awaiting a feedback on a possible face-to-face meeting. If the meeting is successful, the minister would arrange for a final meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, who is expected to give a nod for the release of Kanu if certain conditions are met.

But the source refused to divulge details of the conditions given by government agencies already met by the negotiating team from the South East as they were too sensitive to be discussed in public.

Immediate-past deputy senate president and leader of the South East caucus in the National Assembly, Ike Ekweremadu, confirmed that a political solution would be adopted. He said if ongoing negotiations with relevant government agencies pan out, Kanu could again walk free again and called on his people in the South East to allow their leaders work out a solution that would protect their interest.

Ekweremadu said: “I believe in dialogue. For Nnamdi Kanu’s situation, I don’t think violence is the way. We will find and seek a political solution.”

Sun News

Related Topics:Featured FG Kanu Negotiations Ohanaeze political solution

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Trump Denies Offering Iran Sanctions Relief, Release of Frozen Funds

Published

3 hours ago

September 29, 2026

Trends Admin

President Donald Trump winks as the members of the media depart the Oval Office of the White House as Essar Capital Director Prashant Ruia, from left, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, John Jovanovic, chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa., and Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, look on, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump Denies Offering Iran Sanctions Relief, Release of Frozen Funds

US President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for concrete concessions on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Trump rejected the reports on Monday, describing them as false after Axios reported, citing unnamed US officials, that his administration was willing to provide sanctions relief and release Iranian funds as part of a potential deal.

“This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

CNN separately reported, also citing an unidentified US official, that Trump was prepared to offer similar concessions if Iran demonstrated concrete progress on the nuclear issue.

The conflicting reports emerged as US and Iranian officials engaged separately with mediators in a renewed diplomatic effort aimed at ending the seven-month conflict between Washington and Tehran.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran is prepared to negotiate over its nuclear programme and other issues but would not accept what he described as pressure or coercion.

Iran maintains that it is not seeking nuclear weapons and insists it has the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also said that diplomacy remains the route to resolving the conflict, while Tehran has linked any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to the fulfilment of conditions under discussion with mediators.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a major issue in the negotiations because it is a crucial route for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Disruptions linked to the conflict have contributed to higher energy prices and increased concerns about global supplies.

Trump had rejected an earlier Iranian proposal concerning the reopening of the waterway, while Araghchi said Tehran was awaiting a formal response through mediators.

The latest disagreement over the reported sanctions offer adds uncertainty to the diplomatic efforts, with Washington and Tehran yet to announce a final agreement on the nuclear programme or the broader conflict.

Trump Denies Offering Iran Sanctions Relief, Release of Frozen Funds

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Federal Workers Back N500 Petrol Demand, Threaten Three-Day Warning Strike

Published

3 hours ago

September 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Federal Workers Back N500 Petrol Demand, Threaten Three-Day Warning Strike

Federal workers have backed the demand by organised labour for a reduction in the pump price of petrol to N500 per litre, warning that they will join a proposed three-day warning strike if the Federal Government fails to address their concerns.

The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) announced its position in a communiqué issued on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, after an online general meeting of federal workers held on Sunday.

The workers said they unanimously supported the call by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) for the Federal Government to reduce the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, to N500 per litre.

The JNPSNC had given the Federal Government until September 30, 2026, to respond to its demands, which include a reduction in petrol prices, an immediate wage award and a review of salaries and allowances across the public service.

The Federal Workers Forum said its members were prepared to participate in the proposed three-day warning strike if the government failed to act.

The group also called for any reduction in petrol prices to be reflected in the prices of kerosene, diesel and cooking gas, arguing that high energy costs were contributing to the wider cost-of-living crisis.

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The workers said the current price of petrol was placing additional pressure on households through higher transportation, food and other living costs.

They also backed labour’s demand for an immediate Wage Award, which they said should be converted into a reasonable Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to provide continuing relief to workers.

The forum argued that workers’ incomes had been eroded by rising prices and called for urgent measures to restore their purchasing power.

Beyond the immediate wage relief, organised public-sector workers are seeking the commencement of negotiations for a new National Minimum Wage ahead of January 2027.

The JNPSNC has proposed a minimum monthly salary of N500,000 for an officer on Grade Level 01, Step 1 under the proposed 2027 salary structure.

The council also wants salaries and allowances across federal, state and local government services to be harmonised and periodically reviewed in line with inflation.

The Federal Workers Forum had previously called for an upward review of the current N70,000 minimum wage, saying rising food, fuel, transportation and housing costs had reduced its purchasing power.

The workers also criticised reliance on food palliatives as a response to the economic hardship, arguing that a reduction in petrol prices would have a wider impact because transportation and the cost of moving goods are closely linked to fuel costs.

The forum urged Nigerians to support organised labour’s campaign for lower petrol prices and said federal workers should mobilise for any industrial action approved by labour leadership.

The group further backed proposals for greater use of Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity, including making crude oil available to local refineries in naira and expanding national petroleum storage capacity.

It said such measures could strengthen energy security, create economic value and reduce the country’s exposure to fluctuations in international oil prices.

The latest position by federal workers adds pressure to an already tense labour-government relationship as the September 30 deadline approaches.

However, the workers’ statement does not mean that a nationwide strike has already commenced. Their commitment is to participate in the proposed three-day warning strike if the labour leadership calls the action and the government fails to address the outstanding demands.

The Federal Workers Forum also expressed hope that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would address the concerns in his forthcoming Independence Day broadcast.

The government’s response to the workers’ demands, particularly on petrol prices, wage relief and negotiations for a new minimum wage, is expected to determine the next steps by organised labour.

Federal Workers Back N500 Petrol Demand, Threaten Three-Day Warning Strike

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Hamzat Clarifies Lagos Traffic ‘Lifestyle’ Remark After Backlash

Published

4 hours ago

September 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat

Hamzat Clarifies Lagos Traffic ‘Lifestyle’ Remark After Backlash

Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat has clarified his controversial description of Lagos traffic as a “lifestyle”, saying the remark was taken out of context and was not intended as an endorsement of persistent gridlock.

Hamzat made the original comment while speaking at Podfest Naija 2026, where he discussed storytelling, the creative industry and how Lagos residents consume digital content during their daily journeys.

Using the experience of commuters on the Third Mainland Bridge as an example, Hamzat said traffic had become part of everyday life in Lagos. He also linked the long hours residents spend commuting to the growing consumption of podcasts, music, films and other digital content.

He specifically referred to journeys between Ojota and Obalende, suggesting that many Lagos residents listen to podcast episodes and consume other creative content while travelling through the city’s heavily congested roads.

The remarks generated criticism on social media, with some people interpreting the “lifestyle” description as an indication that the Lagos State Government considered traffic congestion a normal condition that residents should accept.

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Hamzat subsequently addressed the controversy, explaining that he was speaking about the relationship between Lagos traffic and the creative industry, rather than discussing the causes of congestion, road design or suggesting that traffic should be regarded as desirable.

He also questioned how his remarks had been connected to separate criticisms of the state’s traffic situation.

Hamzat said he decided to clarify the remarks after seeing how excerpts from his speech were interpreted on social media.

The controversy has nevertheless renewed discussion about the impact of Lagos traffic congestion on commuters, businesses and productivity.

Lagos remains one of Nigeria’s busiest urban centres, with long commuting times forming part of the daily experience for many residents, particularly along major routes during peak periods.

The deputy governor’s remarks also highlighted the opportunities created by the city’s large and diverse audience for podcasters, filmmakers, musicians, writers and other content creators.

His argument was that the time residents spend travelling has contributed to increased consumption of creative content, creating opportunities for the industry to reach audiences during daily commutes.

The Lagos State Government has continued to promote investments in rail transportation, waterways, road construction, junction improvements and intelligent traffic management as part of efforts to improve mobility across the state.

The debate has therefore shifted beyond the wording of Hamzat’s “lifestyle” remark to broader questions about Lagos traffic, urban mobility and the challenges faced by residents who spend significant time commuting.