General
Nnamdi Kanu Life Sentence ‘Assault on Constitutional Democracy’—SERG
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The sentencing of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment has been described as a judicial error and an assault on constitutional democracy by the South East Revival Group (SERG).
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced the IPOB leader after founding him guilty of the seven-count charges against him.
Reacting to the judgement in a statement signed by its National Director of Publicity, Mr Nnaemeka Aleke, SERG claimed that the judgment represented a mockery of Nigerian jurisprudence.
It accused the court of ignoring fundamental legal standards, sidestepping unresolved jurisdictional challenges, and proceeding with a haste that raised serious doubts about judicial neutrality.
SERG expressed deep shock that the court proceeded to convict Mr Kanu on charges framed under the repealed Terrorism Prevention Act 2013, even though that law has been replaced with the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022.
The group insisted that Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution clearly forbids convicting any citizen on the basis of an offence not defined by an existing written law, noting that using a repealed statute to prosecute and convict anyone renders the entire trial void from the outset.
According to the organisation, it is both unconscionable and legally absurd to convict a person—regardless of the allegations—under a statute that no longer exists, arguing that the court’s decision placed convenience above constitutionality and speed above justice.
It stressed that Justice Omotosho engaged in what it called judicial haste and judicial avoidance by rushing to deliver judgment even when he had been repeatedly informed that several motions, appeals, and jurisdictional challenges were still pending before the Court of Appeal.
The group described the judge’s insistence on proceeding despite these unresolved matters as judicial aggression against due process, lamenting that the court ignored key legal concerns raised by Mr Kanu, including the illegality of the charges, the prosecution’s failure to respond to defence applications, and the existence of pending appellate matters on issues such as extraordinary rendition, constitutionality, and the validity of the charge sheet.
SERG argued that no court has the authority to proceed with a matter when its jurisdiction is in doubt, especially in criminal trials where liberty is at stake.
The organisation further described the proceedings as a blatant violation of Section 36 of the Constitution, which guarantees fair hearing and adequate opportunity for a defendant to prepare a defence. It faulted the judge’s assertion that Mr Kanu refused to enter his defence, calling it a gross misrepresentation designed to shift blame.
It explained that Mr Kanu only insisted that the court resolve the legality of the charges before he could proceed, noting that this position aligns with established principles of criminal procedure in Nigeria. According to the group, fair hearing is not a discretionary privilege granted by the court but a constitutional right that must be protected at all times.
SERG maintained that the judgment is fundamentally defective because it is based on a repealed law, ignores pending appeals and unresolved motions, violates constitutional fair hearing requirements, fails to address core jurisdictional questions, and disregards binding appellate precedents.
The organisation said such a “judgment of convenience” has the potential to erode public confidence in the judiciary and escalate national tensions, especially within the already fragile South East region.
Consequently, SERG called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to urgently review the conduct of Justice Omotosho, describing the issues raised by the judgment as too weighty to be overlooked.
It also urged the Court of Appeal to promptly intervene and overturn the ruling in order to restore constitutional order and reaffirm the principle that no Nigerian can be prosecuted or convicted under an inoperative law.
Concluding its statement, SERG declared that, “This judgment is not just flawed; it offends the law, logic, and the conscience of the nation. It must not stand.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the collapse of five transmission towers along the Ikot Abasi–Eket 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line.
This was attributed to severe acts of vandalism, as TCN disclosed that the structure collapsed after vandals removed critical structural bracing members.
The affected towers were N9, J4, N10, N11 and N12, the organisation said in a statement on Friday.
It explained that the extensive damage was discovered during a routine joint line patrol conducted on August 9, 2026, by TCN linesmen.
Further inspection revealed that structural members from seven additional towers along the same transmission corridor had also been removed and stolen. The towers, J3, N8, N13, N14, N15, N18 and N19, are now structurally compromised and pose a risk of further collapse.
TCN condemned this act of sabotage and reiterated its commitment to working hard to maintain a robust and reliable national grid.
The statement said that to mitigate the impact on electricity supply, the network has been reconfigured to prioritise supply to Ekim transmission station, leaving Ibom Power as the only station without supply.
TCN said it is mobilising an urgent intervention to complete the reconstruction of the affected sections of the line, with security agencies also notified to aid investigations and prevent further acts of vandalism along the line route.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, has urged all relevant government agencies to promptly initiate actions for the full implementation of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026, following its signing into law by President Bola Tinubu.
The bill, sponsored by Speaker Abbas, was aimed at repealing the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act, Cap. N133, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and establish the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports while safeguarding the interests of shippers, service providers, and users of regulated port services. With the President’s assent, it has now been enacted as an Act of Parliament.
The legislation represents one of the landmark achievements of the 10th National Assembly. It reflects the Speaker’s commitment to legislative excellence, institutional reform, and sustainable economic growth, according to a press statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Mr Musa Krishi.
The bill underwent a rigorous and inclusive legislative process, including extensive stakeholder consultations and a public hearing. It was passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and subsequently assented to by the President.
The Act provides a robust legal and institutional framework to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports by fostering transparency, competitiveness, and efficiency in port operations; protecting the rights and interests of shippers, service providers, and other port users; and aligning Nigeria’s port regulatory system with global best practices, thereby enhancing the ease and cost-effectiveness of doing business.
Despite receiving presidential assent, the Act has yet to be fully operationalised.
He warned that any further delay would undermine the legislative intent of the reform, prolong the exposure of port users to arbitrary charges and operational inefficiencies, and deny the nation the anticipated benefits of increased revenue, improved trade facilitation, and stronger investor confidence in the marine and blue economy sector.
The Speaker urged the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, to take the necessary administrative, institutional, and financial measures for the prompt implementation of the Act.
He said this should include the formal transition to, as well as operational empowerment of, the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to discharge its statutory mandate effectively.
The full implementation of the Act is critical to unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s ports, reducing the cost of doing business, strengthening trade competitiveness, and positioning Nigeria as the leading maritime and logistics hub in West and Central Africa.
The statement noted that the Speaker reaffirmed the 10th House’s commitment to exercising the necessary legislative oversight to ensure this landmark legislation, along with others assented to by the President, is fully implemented and achieves its intended goals for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), has partnered with Cascador, a Nigeria-focused platform for growth-stage founders, to provide funding and support for the next generation of Nigerian youth entrepreneurs.
The announcement coincides with International Youth Day 2026, whose global theme this year — Different Contexts, Common Aspirations — calls on institutions to close the gap between young people’s circumstances and their opportunities. The pilot is an early step toward NiYA’s broader ambition to train and empower 7 million Nigerian youth within two years.
The NiYA and Cascador Founders Programme will begin with a pilot cohort of 20 early-stage Nigerian youth founders, including entrepreneurs without formal business registration or established financial records.
Over four weeks, participants will undergo intensive training focused on business fundamentals, investment readiness and pitch preparation. At the end of the programme, the eight top-performing founders will receive non-dilutive funding of up to N5 million each from Cascador, alongside an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to help them structure, manage and scale their businesses.
The funding and support will be presented at a Pitch Day organised by NiYA and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
The Minister for Youth Development, Mr s Ayodele Olawande, said the partnership would enable NiYA to move beyond training by helping young people transform ideas into investable businesses and achieve sustainable economic participation through business preparation and access to capital.
“The pilot is deliberately designed to test a model that can go beyond one cohort. If young founders can be identified early, prepared properly, connected to credible capital and supported to build stronger business systems, then access to opportunity becomes less dependent on background or existing networks. That is the larger objective: to build a youth entrepreneurship ecosystem in which readiness, ideas and execution can increasingly determine who gets the opportunity to grow.”
The pilot will run in-person in Abuja with virtual touchpoints and 1:1 mentorship. All 20 graduates retain NiYA alumni status, with priority consideration for future opportunities.
NiYA and FMYD have already shown what real commitment to Nigeria’s youth looks like — the platforms, the reach, the ambition to train millions. What we’re building together now is the missing piece, a practical bridge from the ideation stage to real capital-readiness. When a Ministry so dedicated to its young people asked Cascador to help build that bridge, it was an easy decision,” said Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador.
Ms Oyin Solebo, COO of Cascador and former Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, highlighted the partnership’s impact, saying, “This is what innovative capital deployment looks like: a government building real investment readiness at scale, and a partner meeting that foundational work with non-dilutive funding at exactly the moment it’s needed. Partnerships like this open doors that neither of us could open alone.”
