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ex Presidential Aspirant, Hashim Urges FG To Free Nnamdi Kanu, Says “IPOB Must Renounce Violence”

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A cheiftain of ruling All Progressive Congress and former presidential candidate, Mr Gbenga Olawepo Hashim has called on the federal government to consider releasing all seperatist agitators, including Nnamdi Kanu, as president Muhammadu Buhari initiate measure to restore peace in South East.

The business man also said that the condition for such action would be for the agitators to renounce all kind of violence, noting that violence will always produce a bad result.

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GPMB’s VISIT TO IMO AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEACE AND RAPPROCHEMENT

On Thursday 9th of September, three Nigerians emerged on top at the occasion of the visit of president Muhammadu Buhari to Owerri, President Mohammadu Buhari (GCFR), the host, Governor Hope Uzodinma, and the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Ambassador George Obiozor. The visit was a risky bet for the trio. For PMB, I am not sure he expected everyone to roll out their drums for him, but he received a vast crowd of party supporters who are his political troops in the South East.

He made the right statement, clad in Igbo attire, and not cutting the picture of the conqueror of the Igbos that some had painted him in. He delivered it straight and simple: the Igbos have no reason to be out of Nigeria and Nigeria needs the enterprising input of Ndigbo.IPOB by her sit- at- home order which was effective in the streets proved they were on ground.

Governor Uzodinma did the good work of a facilitator to set the stage and has won for himself a huge seat as a peacemaker. George Obiozor, an experienced diplomat, who had once headed the Nigeria Institute for International Affairs (NIIA) and was Nigeria’s representative to United Nations after a distinguished diplomatic career, lived to his billing.

He spoke the way elders should speak, making demands without being rude. We cannot take it away from the critics of APC Government that they will have their own interpretation of the speeches, but the impact of this visit cannot be diminished. We have been presented with the opportunity for peace in the South East, given the true window for rapprochement between belligerent forces and the sovereign representatives of a Federal State. This has opened the stage for the re-set of relationships.

The elders of Igbo land know better what war means than the young men who have only read it in books and watched it in movies. They know that is not a direction to face. I have been to testy spots in the world such as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) Demarcation line at Pan Mun Jom, between North and South Korea, in a solidarity March with Lim Su-kyung in July 1989. She was a South Korean student leader then, who was known as a flower for reunification at the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students, held in Pyongyang, North Korea.

I attended as one of delegates of All-Africa Student Union (AASU). On our way down, we saw first-hand evidence of the carnage of the Korean war and the aftermath. Nuclear arsenals pointing towards the two Koreas and the dividing army of a superpower United States. At any mistake, hundreds of thousands can evaporate in seconds, including the solidarity marchers.

The second time I visited similar spot was in Syria, before the war broke out, and it was the funeral of Hafez al-Assad “the lion of the dessert”, who is the father of the current Syrian president.

I was on the delegation of the Federal Government, led by the then Foreign Affairs Minister Sule Lamido. From the airport where we were picked to the hotel, we saw mourners crying in the streets, in their thousands, in unison, mourning their departed hero. In the evening, the Nigerian Ambassador to Syria, Ambassador Abdul Ganiyu, came to give us some briefing that the wailing should not sway us on the streets. He added Damascus was tense and that several things have happened in Damascus capable of leading to war.

In the morning, they gathered all Foreign visitors in a hall to pay our respect to Hafez al-Assad. To my left was Robin Cook, former British Foreign Secretary, and to my right was Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan. The rest is history. How I wish there was a power on Earth capable of acting on Ambassador Abdul Ganiyu’s warning, as it would have spared Syria millions of deaths.

Thank God for elders like Obiozor leading Ndigbo now and a sensible Governor as Uzodinma and with the disposition of president Muhammadu Buhari, there is a genuine opportunity for peace in the East.

We can expect the mechanism already created by the facilitators to include an agenda for discussion of all items that may lead to the release of the unidentified youths from detention, which I believe includes Nnamdi Kanu.

The state, through the attorney general, has the power of nolle prosequi for crimes in the intent of peace and stability. I guess one condition for peace will be for the youths to renounce violence, as every self-respecting government will make that a condition. This is the route we need.

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Mbah to NBA: “Law, the Conscience of the Nation, Justice Sector Reform, a Cornerstone of Our Administration”

By ORJI ISRAEL

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Mbah to NBA

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has reminded lawyers that the law is more than a profession, as it serves as the conscience of the nation.

Mbah, who spoke during the opening of the 2025 Annual General Conference, AGC, of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, on Sunday, also restated the commitment of his administration to justice sector reform, saying that it remained the cornerstone of his government.

“Let me say this: the theme of this year’s conference, ‘Stand Out, Stand Tall,’ is a timely reminder of the responsibility we bear as lawyers and leaders. The law is not just a profession – it is the conscience of the nation. We are not only courtroom advocates; we are also defenders of truth, architects of peace, and champions of equity,” he said.

Listing some concrete steps by his administration towards justice sector reform, the governor said, “Since assuming office, we have made justice sector reform a cornerstone of our governance. Just a few examples will suffice.

“We were among the first states to fully implement financial autonomy for the judiciary in line with Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). This has enhanced the efficiency, independence, and dignity of our courts.

“We have carried out a comprehensive rehabilitation and digitization of our courtrooms across the three senatorial zones. The High Court Complex in Enugu is equipped with e-filing, virtual hearing facilities, and an integrated case management system.

“To decongest our courts and promote alternative dispute resolution, we have strengthened and expanded the Enugu Multi-Door Courthouse, making it a model in the region for commercial and family dispute settlement.

“Through partnership with civil society and the NBA, we have expanded access to pro bono legal services for indigent citizens and detainees, especially in our rural areas. No one should be too poor to afford justice.

“We have also carried out an extensive codification and review of obsolete state laws to reflect modern realities, ensure gender justice, and promote the ease of doing business in Enugu.

“Perhaps one of the reforms I am proudest of – we introduced real-time transcription for our courts. Attaining Verbatim Reporting for the courts has eliminated the strain of longhand recording on judges, cut down on delays and improved productivity,” he said.

He, however, asserted that none of the reforms was an end in itself, noting that they remained  part of a broader vision of his government towards making Enugu State the preferred destination for investment, innovation, and inclusive development.

“From smart schools, safe communities to accessible healthcare – our vision cannot be achieved without a justice system that is fair, functional, and trusted,” he added.

The opening ceremony was chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Dr. Sa’ad Abubakar III, while the keynote address was given by charismatic leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters of South Africa and a member of country’s national parliament, Julius Malema.

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70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African – Group

ORJI ISRAEL reports that the group accused ANC of maintaining silence on religious persecution, while deepening ties with ideological extremists in Tehran

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70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African gettyimages
Women crying during killings in Benue State, Nigeria

Recent reports indicate that over 4,400 Christians were murdered for their faith last year, while over the past decade, jihadist violence has driven 16 million Christians from their homes, millions of which are African citizens.

This is according to global Christian charity, Open Doors, which also confirms that for every five Christians, one will face persecution in Africa specifically.

Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List reveals the top 10 most dangerous countries for Christians are dominated by Islamic states in the Middle East and Africa, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Nigeria. A more detailed UK Parliament briefing recently noted that 70% of Christians killed in 2024 were indeed in Africa. 

Over the last six months, the brutality against Christians in Africa has escalated to alarming levels, with a series of devastating attacks across the continent. Just last month, ISIL-affiliated rebels stormed a Catholic church in Komanda, DRC, murdering close to 50 worshippers, including women and children. That same month in Mozambique, Islamic State fighters captured and beheaded six Christians from Natocua village, just across South Africa’s border. A month earlier, in June 2025, armed militants in Nigeria massacred nearly 200 Christian civilians in Yelwata village. 

“What we are witnessing is not random violence or isolated attacks. It is a deliberate, coordinated campaign by jihadist networks to wipe Christianity from vast regions of Africa and the Middle East,” says SAFI spokesperson, Bafana Modise. “These acts of terror are the early stages of a genocide against Christians, and history will record who spoke out and who shamefully looked away. Tragically, the ANC has chosen the latter.”

This silence is even more damning in light of last week’s news that South Africa’s military chief, Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, met with Iranian Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami in Tehran to discuss deepening military and strategic ties, when Iran remains one of the world’s most notorious persecutors of Christians.

A recent report by the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI) warned that Pretoria’s deepening ties with Tehran has compromised South Africa’s democratic foundations by defending Iran at the UN and IAEA, downplaying its human rights abuses, and potentially benefitting from covert support, including speculation around the ANC’s repayment of a multi-million-rand debt shortly after filing the ICJ case against Israel.

“These atrocities are not just crimes against individuals; they are part of a war against the freedom of religion itself,” Modise warns. “This is religious genocide, and it is gaining momentum as it edges closer to South Africa’s borders.”

Instead of defending religious freedom, the ANC government has remained silent. It has issued no meaningful condemnation or rallying call to protect persecuted Christians: “The ANC has done nothing to defend the rights of Christians,” says Modise. “Instead, it has squandered South Africa’s moral standing on discredited genocide charges against Israel – the one country in the Middle East where Christians live in safety and equality.”

This betrayal is even more unforgivable in a nation where 80% of South Africans identify as Christian. Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right, but the ANC, once the global champion of human rights, has made its bed with regimes and groups that have used Islamic law to suppress and destroy those freedoms.

“The ANC’s alliances make it clear: they have abandoned South Africa’s Christians, choosing friendship with the very forces driving this campaign of genocide,” Modise concludes. “Silence in the face of such evil is complicity, and the ANC is guilty of both. They have aligned themselves with Jihadist Islamic ideology, without further thought.”

We call on every pastor, every congregation, and every believer to demand that the ANC account for its indifference and betrayal. The blood of persecuted Christians cries out from across the African continent. If South Africa will not stand with them now, the day may come when their fate becomes our own.

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Government Should Support Media with Tax Incentives, Relief on Import Duties – Soneye

….Media Sustainability: Soneye Advocates Tax Reliefs, Independent Fund for Journalism

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Femi Soneye
Femi Soneye

Former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Femi Soneye, has called on the Federal Government to support the Nigerian media with targeted incentives, including tax reliefs and import duty waivers on essential media tools.

Soneye made the appeal in Abuja on Tuesday after receiving the NUJ FCT Excellence in Corporate Communications Award, conferred on him by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council.

The NUJ leadership, led by Chairperson Grace Ike, alongside the Deputy Chair, Secretary-General, and other executives, described Soneye as a consummate professional who has distinguished himself with tact and excellence in the communications field.

In his remarks, Soneye noted that while the Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, it continues to grapple with systemic challenges that weaken its effectiveness.

“The Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, but it also faces systemic challenges, financial, political, legal, and technological that weaken its effectiveness. The government can play a supportive role by granting tax incentives or relief on import duties for newsprint, broadcast equipment, and digital infrastructure,” he said.

He also urged the Federal Government to establish an independent media development fund to support investigative journalism, community radio, and newsroom innovation, drawing parallels with models in South Africa, the United States, and Canada.

The award underscores Soneye’s long-standing contributions to journalism and corporate communications, as well as his advocacy for a stronger, independent, and sustainable Nigerian media.

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