₦airaland Forum

Operation Python Dance: Igbos March to Aso Rock Villa to Commend Buhari
tori.ng


Many men and women of Igbo descent have marched to Aso Rock to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and commend on him on the Operation Python Dance initiate.



The Igbos marched to Aso Rock

It has been revealed that several Igbo sons and daughters early this morning marched to the Presidential villa for eulogize the efforts of the Federal Government for introducing the operation python dance to tackle insecurity in the South East.

According to The Nation, the exercise, the group said has helped to maintain peace and unity in the South East.

The group under the aegis of the Igbo People of Nigeria, IPON carried several banners with inscriptions such as Igbo kwenu, Buhari kwenu, we appreciate the Nigerian Army among others and numbering over a thousand persons danced with joy to the Presidential villa gate.

The National Coordinator of the group, Chief Uche Chegwo who led the march said the ibo people wil forever be greatful to President Buhari and the Nigerian Army.

He said, ” Like other patriotic persons from the other ethnic groups, members of IPON have strong faith in the unity of Nigeria and a strong belief that we are stronger together and that we stand to gain more as one strong, united and indivisible entity as opposed to being fragmented into little statelets and micro-nations that are unable to take on the corporate vampires of the world.

“That said Mr President, we want to commend your recent engagements with our leaders from the south-east; while these interactions are described as coming late in some quarters, we see the very fact that they are taking place as a confirmation that you are a leader who respond to citizens’ demand. We believe that the promises made to our leaders during their recent meetings with you would begin to translate into actions and concrete results in the days ahead.

“We want to point out from our own side that the visit of our leaders to Your Excellency should eradicate any doubts as to where the loyalty and allegiance of Igbo people lie. We are resolutely behind your government even as we categorically affirm that we have no animosity towards state institutions. We cannot and must not be defined by a minority that is vocal and violent – the hatred advanced by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their sympathizers is not Igbo and should not be used as a basis for defining us as a people. The other ethnic groups in the country, among who we co-habit as fellow Nigerians, attest daily to the humility and tolerant nature of the Igbo.

“These merchants of hate have strived to create the impression that the only presence the Federal Government have in Igboland is destructive even as they wrongly cast the Operation Python Dance II by the Nigerian Army as of such negative developments. Mr President, we of Igbo People for Nigeria want to report differently.

“It took the intervention of the Nigerian Army through its Operation Python Dance in 2016 to rid Igboland of kidnappers and bandits for many of us to again dare setting foot on our ancestral land after several years for fear of being robbed, abducted or killed by hoodlums. Prior to your administration, a lot of our sons and daughters travel all the way from abroad and stay in Lagos and Abuja to celebrate the Yuletide without daring to set foot on the soil of our towns and villages. Operation Python Dance (I) changed that last year as we again breathed fresh air in places of our birth.

“Unfortunately, crime has the tendency to mutate. Many of these criminals that were exposed and flushed out during the operation by the Army regrouped under IPOB in order to cash in on the agitation for fairer treatment of the Igbo. They again reintroduced kidnappings, robberies and assassinations, which we reliably gathered were sources of funding for their secession agitation. In addition to these violent crimes, they also raped women and extorted traders while intimidating the wider populace and disappearing anyone that refuses to join them or questions their excesses.

“We were therefore elated when the Army launched Operation Python Dance II, which was an appropriate response to the security situation in the south east that was already becoming a killing field as a result of IPOB and other criminal elements who had overran the entire place. Mr President, we want you and your able aides to listen beyond the strident propaganda of those futilely defending the criminality of IPOB; the genuine population of Igbos in the southeast and beyond are happy that these terrorists have been curtailed. May we use this opportunity to laud your administration over the designation of IPOB as a terrorist group and call on the relevant institutions to arrest and prosecute anyone who goes out in the name of IPOB or its affiliate organizations to torment any citizen of the great Federal Republic of Nigeria under your peace.

“These agents of darkness who out to discredit us peace loving people have vowed never to stop but we know Mr. President that your antecedent in this area speaks louder for your capacity and the military to bring them to justice. The desperation of these destroyers can be seen in how they circulated fake stories that soldiers were forcefully injecting school children with killer virus in the attempt to discredit the Medical Outreach facilitated by the Nigerian Army. Even though they trended their fake stories on social media platforms, it was soon evident that the reasoning behind the fake story was as flawed and as dangerous as the salt bath and salt solution drink hoax at the height of the Ebola crisis. It was soon proven that the Medical Outreach did not even hold in schools but in churches and palaces of traditional rulers that endorsed it wholesale.

“Mr President, while thanking you for your interest in the south-east, we crave your indulgence to help convey our gratitude to the Nigerian Army for the roles they have played in ridding our states of criminals. Our hope is that Your Excellency would take our gratitude as a vote of confidence on the Nigerian Army. Their operation and the relationship they enjoy with the peace-loving population of our area has been very cordial and humane in every ramification. We appreciate the various humanitarian supports that accompany their operations which make it a double-faced sword for law abiding citizens and criminals at the same time. On this note, we assure you of maximum cooperation by the people of the region.

“May we further appeal that you use your position as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to direct the Nigerian Army to make Operation Python Dance an annual exercise based on the positive impacts it has been able to achieve for the two times it has held. This will also secure the region from secessionists that are attempting to set up a Boko Haram-styled enclave there.

“Your excellency is further appealed to not to forget the promises made to our leaders that you have met with as we see the fulfilment of these promises going a long way to dismiss the lies that terrorists and secessionists are telling to the people” he said.

Buhari Orders Top Agencies To Reveal Names Of Looters
thewhistler.ng



President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC and other relevant agencies involved in the recovery of looted funds to promptly enforce the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos ordering the release of names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abukabar Malami disclosed this on Wednesday during a meeting at his office in Abuja with a delegation from Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP.

Recalled that the SERAP had last year filed a suit following the Federal Government announcement of funds recovered from some high-ranking public officials and private individuals.

The group asked the government to tell Nigerians the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official.

In her judgment delivered on July 5, Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari agreed with SERAP that “the Federal Government has legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present.”

SERAP, in a statement by its executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, after its meeting with the AGF said, “We had a very productive meeting with Mr Malami, discussing among other critical issues the need for the government to obey the judgment delivered in July by Hon Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/CS/964/2016brought by SERAP.

“Mr Malami informed us that President Buhari has directed the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC and other relevant agencies involved in the recovery of looted funds to promptly put the documents together with a view to fully and promptly enforcing the judgment by Justice Shagari.

“We appreciate the opportunity to meet with the Attorney General of the Federation and look forward to working with him as the government strives to enforce this very important judgment.

“We hope that the implementation of the judgment will now happen sooner rather than later. We believe that effectively implementing the judgment will be a victory for the rule of law, show the way forward in the fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators in the country, as well as demonstrate Buhari’s oft-repeated commitment to tackling the problem of grand corruption,” Mr. Mumuni added.

Another Corruption Scandal At The Presidency – How Abba Kyari And Jalal Arabi Undermined The State House Medical Centre
newsrescue.com

The State House Medical Centre (SHMC) is the “specialist” hospital located inside the Presidency. Its primary function is to provide “world-class” medical care to the families of the President, Vice President, senior Government officials and staff working at the Presidency. This facility may also be used to serve foreign heads of state and dignitaries in case of emergencies.

It can be recalled that Hajiya Aisha Buhari, the wife of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, not long ago made very public allegations about the poor conditions of service at the SHMC. This leaked document actually vindicates her.

Below is summary of an 11 points official complaint letter, written on 3/10/2017, by the SHMC Medical Director, to the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari. This complaint letter exposes corruption, incompetence and near criminal negligence on the part of both Abba Kyari and the Permanent Secretary, Jalal Arabi. We also attached for your review, some relevant documents leaked with the complaint letter. You be the judge!

SUMMARY OF THE COMPLAINT LETTER

1. The SHMC has faced several challenges procuring drugs and consumables since 2016. The SHMC Director has made several complaints of this situation on numerous occasions.

2. In 2016, a whopping N3,890,629,221 (N3.8 billion) was approved for the SHMC. However, only N25,983,620 was spent for purchasing drugs. See attached Appendix A & B.

3. In 2017, the sum of N290,455,312 was approved for purchasing drugs and consumables for the SHMC. However, only N14,786,736 was spent on drugs and N15,000,00 was spent on consumables. Not a single Kobo was spent on capital expenditure.

4. Drugs and consumables are purchased on quarterly basis (3 monthly basis). However, no drugs and consumables were purchased in the first and second quarters (6 months) of 2017. This is why STOP GAP procurement method (emergency purchase) was used to purchase N14,786,736 of drugs and N15,000,00 of consumables.

5. Due to persistent shortages at the SHMC, another STOP GAP request was made on 5/7/2017, no response was received by the MD as of the time of filing this report on 3/10/2017.

6. In August 2017, the 3rd quarter request for drugs and consumables were submitted, but no response was received by the MD as of the time of filing this report on 3/10/2017.

7. The SHMC attends to about 800 patient visits per week (3,200 per month), yet it is forced to work on a stringent budget of N1,000,000 per month.
8. Despite the stringent budget, lack of medicines and consumables, the SHMC provides a 24/7 service to its patients.

9. Due to bureaucracy underpinned by corruption, the SHMC is currently not benefiting from the financial contributions made by its insured patients through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

10. The SHMC Director wrote complaint letters on several occasions, to flag the diabolical condition of the hospital. Letters were written on 13/11/2015 to the Chief of Staff, on 18/4/2016 to the Permanent Secretary, and on 22/08/2016 to His Excellency the President, but to no avail.

11. The Philip Duo X-Ray machine at the SHMC has not been functioning for over 9 months. In April 2017, a submission was made by El-Hanan Ventures to fix the X-ray machine. Approval was only granted on 28/8/2017 by representative of the Permanent Secretary. See attached Appendix K.

Fellow compatriots, we still believe in the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari to lead us to the promised land. We, however, recognise that Buhari alone cannot win this war against corruption.

Therefore, we promise to keep exposing corruption and the dangerous cabal at the Presidency, until His Excellency takes the bull by the horns and does the needful. Make no mistake about it, our approach to war against corruption is a fearless and holistic one. We start from the top, while meticulously working our way to the bottom.

Finally, if the gospel truth must be told, the millions of Nigerian masses who for the first time in our history put aside their religious, tribal, political and other superficial differences/prejudices to vote President Muhammadu Buhari into power, expect and deserve better.
May God save Nigeria and Nigerians. Amen.

Dr. Idris Ahmed.
www.cupstv.com
17/10/2017.

David Mark breaks two years silence in Senate
sunnewsonline.com
From: FRED ITUA, Abuja

Immediate past President of the Senate, David Mark, on Wednesday, spoke on the floor for the first time in two years and four months.

It was the first time Sen. Mark had spoken on the floor of the Senate since the 8th National Assembly was inaugurated on the 9th of June, 2017.

Mark spoke when his only bill sponsored in two years, was read for the second time. It’s titled “A Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal University of Health Science, Utukpo and ot‎her related matters connected thereto, 2017.”

Unlike others bills read on the floor, Mark only read an abridged version of it. Many lawmakers wanted to speak on the issue, but were restricted by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided.

Leader of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, while speaking, said in other climes, the bill would not be debated. He urged his colleagues to make provision for the take-off of the university in the 2018 budget.

Lawan said: “This bill reminds me of my days in the opposition. Elsewhere in the world, this bill will not be debated because of the sponsor. For someone who served as the Senate President for eight years is not ordinary. We need to appreciate that fact.

“In the 2018 appropriation year, the Senate should make provision for this institution to take off and provide services to the entire people of Nigeria. This will not only benefit the people of Benue South, but Nigerians.”

Ekweremadu, while concluding, noted: “This bill has enjoyed sufficient support. We must appreciate the sponsor for this opportunity. This bill seeks to create a special university ‎that will cater for the wellbeing of Nigerians. I can see lawmakers who left the chamber, but had to return because of the importance of this bill.”

When Ekweremadu put it to a voice vote that the bill be read for the second time, it got a resounding ‘yes’. No lawmaker voted against it. The bill has been referred to the Senate committee on Tertiary Education.

Funny Photo News: Rams eat Fayose’s presidential campaign poster
theeagleonline.com.ng



Rams, in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, have opted for a rather curious meal: the presidential campaign poster of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose.
And the posters they opted for were right there in front of Fayose’s campaign office in Ado-Ekiti.
Fayose announced his presidential campaign bid on September 28, 2017 in Abuja.
He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The party has, however, said its position remains that for the 2019 election, the position has been zoned to the North.

Photos: Buhari presides over FEC meeting
vanguardngr.com
By Nwafor Sunday

President Muhammadu Buhari, Wednesday presided over the federal Executive Council meeting to discuss issues affecting Nigeria. Newsmen gathered also that President Buhari will leave for Turkey on Wednesday, which his reasons for travelling were not communicated to newsmen.

More detail later




Update: President Buhari presides over FEC, leaves for Turkey
vanguardngr.com
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presided over the meeting of Federal Executive Council (FEC) in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Newsmen report that the meeting which started at about 10 a.m., was attended by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Habiba Lawal and cabinet ministers.


The president was scheduled to leave Abuja for Turkey immediately after the Council’s meeting.

A statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on Tuesday, said Buhari would participate in the ninth D-8 Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, on Oct. 20.

Adesina said prior to the summit, Buhari, at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, would be on working visit to Ankara, the Turkish capital.

He said the President would during the visit have a private dicussion with his Turkish counterpart, while delegations from both countries would hold discussions in various fields including defence cooperation, security, educational and migration issues.

According to the presidential aide, the Nigerian leader will also visit the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey in Ankara, where he will meet with the Turkish Speaker, Ismail Kahraman.

Adesina said Buhari would also use the occasion to bolster warm and growing ties across broad range of areas of cooperation with leaders of the D8-member countries.

The D8-member countries include Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey.

NAN

Baru emerges chairman NGA advisory board
naij.com


- The Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru is breaking new grounds

- Baru has emerged as the chairman, advisory board, Nigerian Gas Association (NGA)

- This is coming at a time Baru was accused of insubordination and disregard for due process by the minister of state for petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu

The GMD of NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru, has emerged as the chairman, advisory board, Nigerian Gas Association (NGA).

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the board was inaugurated on Tuesday, October 17 during an Executive Gas Round-table for chief executives and directors levels of the oil and gas companies meeting in Lagos.

In his remarks, the GMD commended the NGA for its contribution to gas sector development through advocacy.

Baru emerges chairman NGA advisory board
Dr Baru is the new chairman of the NGA board. Photo credit: NNPC
Baru said that the advisory board will add to the development of the gas industry.

He said that the federal government has mandated aggressive gas policy to stimulate growth of gas sector, while assuring stakeholders of his commitment to the objectives of the board.

Mr Dada Thomas, the president of NGA stressed the importance of gas in economic development in Nigeria.

“For Nigerian economy to achieve its full potential, there must be power, to get power we need gas, to get gas, we need much needed investment to develop the gas sector.

“Without appropriate fiscal policy on gas, there can never be investments in the sector.

“We must diversify the Nigerian economy and gas has a crucial role to play, so, we must promote investment in gas sector.

“We must ensure that we pass a good petroleum industry bill that will promote and expand the industry and not shrink it,” he said.

Thomas said a situation where gas investment are made in dollars, gas is sold in dollars but invoices are raised in naira at Central Bank of Nigeria exchange rate which will reduce the invoice value, is unacceptable. (NAN)

Meanwhile, a recent media report indicates that the presidency has initiated moves to ensure that Baru is not indicted by the Senate ad hoc committee charged with investigating him for awarding contracts to the tune of $25 billion without recourse to the NNPC board of directors.

The nine-man committee chaired by Senator Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto, APC) is charged with investigating Baru over the allegations raised against him by Kachikwu.

Kachikwu's leaked memo to President Buhari accused Baru of insubordination and keeping the NNPC board chaired by Kachikwu in the dark in the award of contracts and promotion of senior executives of NNPC.

Governors demand release of 50% balance of Paris Club refund by November
today.ng


The governors of the 36 states of the federation have demanded the release of the balance of the Paris Club refund by November, this year, to enable them include it in their 2018 budget appropriation.

Seven of the governors met with President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, in his office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The delegation was led by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Abdulaziz Yari, of Zamfara (North East).

Those in the delegation were Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom representing South South, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, representing North West, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, representing North Central, deputy governor of Ebonyi, Dr. Eric Kelechi Igwe representing South East, Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi, representing North East, and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, representing South West.

The Federal Government had disbursed to states as refund under the Paris Club loan a total of l N760.17 billion paid in two tranches of N243.79 billion each, to the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory.


The president had approved the amount in partial settlement of long-standing claims by state governments relating to over-deduction from their allocations from the Federation Account for external debts service arising between 1995 and 2002.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had, last month, asked President Buhari not to release the third and final tranche of the Paris Club refund to state governors until they make a concrete commitment to use the money to settle outstanding salaries, allowances and pension of workers and retirees in the country.

Speaking to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting which last about two hours, Govermor Yari said they were at the Villa to thank the president for the previous bailouts as well as the Paris Club refund, which he said had helped them in meeting the obligations of their states.

According to the governor, “We are here on behalf of the 36 states governors and this is a result of the collective decision to see the President after the National Economic Council meeting last month.

“Our mission here is simple, we are here to thank Mr. President for his concern about the state of the economy and for giving us several support ranging from bail out, restructuring our debts, Paris club exit payment.

“We also told him that we think that it was because of his decision to grant us bailouts and pay the refund of the Paris Club that many Nigerians are criticizing him, this is the reason why we got out of recession.”

Yari said the funds got to close to 200 million Nigerian citizens residing in respective states of the federation.

“These support is going down to them, when you are taking the indices from the grassroots. We thanked the president for that and at the same time, as a father we said to him Mr. President you remember that in 2016, we presented to you the numbers of Paris exit funds which we agreed, and you directed we be paid 50 per cent and the remaining 50 per cent open reconciliation.

“Reconciliation has been on since 2016, we are hoping that both the Debt Management Office (DMO), Ministry of Finance, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and our consultants are concluding this reconciliation by November, so therefore we want to crave your indulgence so that we can factor the numbers in our 2018 budget, so that we can use it for projects and other recurrent spending according to the specification given by our respective House of Assemblies and that’s why we are here.

“Mr. President was prompt being that he has a representative in the National Economic Council that is the Vice President and Minister of Finance is away. We are going to work on the numbers when he returns from his trip, we are going to follow up this meeting with him so that we can conclude on what is going to be done next.”

A federal court had on Friday last week ordered that N1.2 billion allegedly paid a firm ‘fraudulently’ by the Nigeria Governors Forum be forfeited to the federal government.

The court gave the ruling based on an application by the anti-graft agency the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

In granting the EFCC prayers, Justice Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered anyone interested in the money to appear before the court within 14 days to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

The anti-graft agency has been investigating the alleged fraud by the NGF.

In a statement released later by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said President Buhari at the meeting with the governors expressed concern on the growing complaints and agitations by workers in states over unpaid salaries and allowances, in spite of interventions by the Federal Government.

President Buhari said the plight of workers in the states needed urgent attention as many could barely survive.


In the words of the president, “How can anyone go to bed and sleep soundly when workers have not been paid their salaries for months.

“I actually wonder how the workers feed their families, pay their rents and even pay school fees for their children,” he said.

The President also told the governors that two out of the three-pronged focus of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to secure the country and fight corruption had received some commendable reviews by the people, noting that the challenge in payment of salaries in states had taken a toll on the people.

“God has been merciful in hearing the prayers of his servants so the rainy season has been good, you can ask the Kebbi State governor on this, and our enormous food importation bill has gone down.’’

President Buhari said the Federal Government and state executives would need to work closer together to ameliorate the situation of workers across the country.

The President said he had instructed all government agencies to comply with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) in order to ensure more transparency and prudence in accounting for the revenues of the government and the sharing of entitlements with states.

Senator Abaribe applies to be discharged as Kanu's surety
naij.com

- Senator Abaribe prays the court to discharge him entirely from the incidence relating to the bail of Kanu

- The lawmaker says since the raid by the Nigerian army, the first defendant has not been seen or reached

- As at the time of filing this report, the application was yet to be heard by the court

The Senator representing Abia south Senatorial district, Enyinaya Abaribe, has applied to the court to discharge him from the suretyship, bond and recognizance of the bail of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

In an application seen by NAIJ.com and filed against the federal government, Nnamdi Kanu and his co-defendants, Abaribe is asking the court to make an order discharging him as surety of the first defendant - Kanu.

Abaribe prayed the court to discharge him entirely from the incidence relating to the bail of Kanu.

He also asking for a discharge of the bond used for Kanu's bail and a refund of N100 million or any other bond paid to the court sequel to the bail.

The grounds upon which Abaribe sought the reliefs include that the Nigerian army during a raid at the residence of the IPOB leader engaged in a fracas with members of the group which has been proscribed by the federal government.

Abaribe said since the raid by the Nigerian army, the first defendant has not been seen or reached.

He also said Kanu is yet to make any public appearance made any statement since the raid.

Abaribe said: "Since the afore stated visit of the Nigerian army to the residence of the first defendant from September 11, 2017, the second respondent in this suit has not been seen again nor reached on phone bu the applicant neither is he reported in any news media as seen by any person nor made any statement on any issue."

The senator said since September 20, the report in the media is that the first respondent (Federal government ) has proscribed IPOB an organisation led by Kanu and declared the organisation a terrorist organisation.

He said security agencies of the federal government are interested in the second respondent.

"The activities of the Nigerian army as affecting the first respondent are matters of state secret incapable of being unravelled by the applicant which activities has put the second respondent out of the reach of the applicant such that the applicant cannot reasonably be expected to produce the second respondent before this court at any subsequent date.

"The apllicant lacks capacity to produce a person stated by the first respondent to be ma member of a terrorist organization or any person who the first respondent is reported to be interested in his whereabouts in the aftermath of the military operation in Abia state," Abaribe said in his application," he said.

As at the time of filing this report, the application was yet to be heard by the court.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that Abaribe, a Jewish Rabbi and traditional ruler stood as surety for the IPOB leaderin August when he was granted bail by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court.

The surety and bond of N100 million each which was made available by Abaribe and the two others helped in the release of Kanu from the Kuje Prison in Abuja where he was being held for over a year.

Kanu and his co-defendants - Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawuisi and Chidiebere Onwudiwe are facing criminal trial of treasonable felony, conspiracy and concealing of good imported into the country.