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Biden Phones Tinubu After Release Of Binance Executive

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Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and United States President Joe Biden spoke on the phone over the release of Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s head of finance crime compliance.

Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, said the 30-minute phone call on Tuesday evening was against the backdrop of the release of Gambaryan on October 23.

Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in April, arraigned Binance, a cryptocurrency firm, and Gambaryan, on allegations of money laundering.

Gambaryan was in detention for eight months.

At a court hearing on October 23, the EFCC announced the decision of the federal government to withdraw the charges against Gambaryan.

Tuggar said Biden was grateful for Gambaryan’s release.

“The two leaders exchanged pleasantries and President Biden preceded to thank President Tinubu for his partnership and for Nigeria’s partnership in particular the collaboration between the two countries with regards to our law enforcement and law enforcement agencies as well as release of one of the suspects of the cryptocurrency exchange company (Binance),” the minister said.

Tuggar said during the call, Tinubu made it clear that Nigeria followed due process and was guided by the law.

“President Tinubu during the discussion even mentioned the similarities of the fact that our system of government is very similar to the United States system of government,” he said.

“We adopted our own system of government having gone back to civilian constitution and democracy in 1999 by adopting a US-styled system of government.

“So the rule of law is very important which is why we used these processes which the two leaders both assured that they will continue to collaborate in that regard.”

Tuggar said both countries committed to sharing intelligence, applying technology, supplying equipment, and kinetic and non-kinetic training.

BIG STORY

Nnamdi Kanu Medically Fit To Stand Trial — NMA Tells Court

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The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) says Nnamdi Kanu’s health condition does not appear life-threatening.

In a ruling on September 26, Justice James Omotosho, presiding judge, had issued an order directing the president of the NMA to constitute an investigative panel to ascertain the defendant’s health status.

Omotosho gave the directive while ruling on an application seeking to move Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), from the Department of State Services (DSS) custody to the National Hospital in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for treatment.

The IPOB leader had claimed that his health had deteriorated in detention, citing medical reports that revealed liver and pancreatic complications, a lump under his armpit, and dangerously low potassium levels.

However, the prosecution opposed the application, insisting that the federal government had provided Kanu with adequate medical care in detention.

At the court session on Thursday, prosecution counsel Adegboyega Awomolo said the report had been received and filed in court on October 13, and it had also been served on the defence.

Kanu Agabi, counsel to the defendant, confirmed that they had been duly served.

In the report read in open court, the NMA panel concluded that Kanu is fit to stand trial.

Based on the information contained in the report and in the absence of any objection from both parties, Justice Omotosho ruled that the court was satisfied the defendant could proceed with the trial.

The judge said he would give six consecutive dates for the defendant to open and close his defence.

Agabi, however, urged the court to fix a date for the defendant to be brought before it so that the defence team could interview him, expressing concern that the DSS might eavesdrop if the meeting were held at its facility.

Omotosho granted the request, stating that he would set aside a day for the defendant and his lawyers to confer privately in court.

He then fixed Wednesday, October 22, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., for the meeting.

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BIG STORY

Defections: Three More PDP Governors Will Soon Resign — Fayose

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Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has claimed that three more governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will soon dump the opposition party.

Fayose made the claim on Wednesday while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, following the recent resignation of Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri from the PDP.

According to him, the opposition party may soon be left with only five governors as internal crises continue to plague its ranks.

“Let me tell you, there are three more governors that will leave soon. There will be five remaining. The five remaining, one of them will struggle to catch the ticket, and they all know that the ticket is an ordinary tissue paper,” Fayose said.

He accused some PDP governors of contributing to the party’s decline due to their desire to control its structure.

“They are largely killing the party because they want to control it. This is what happened in 2023,” he added.

Fayose dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu has been coercing opposition governors to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He argued that most of the defecting governors are acting out of self-interest and political calculation.

“President Tinubu should not be blamed for PDP’s problems. The PDP is sick and remains perpetually sick without a cure in view,” he stated.

The former governor maintained that the crisis within the PDP is the result of internal sabotage by some of its leaders.

“Those who killed the party know themselves. There is a difference between a former governor and a sitting governor,” Fayose said.

Although still a card-carrying member of the PDP, Fayose said he bears no responsibility for resolving the crisis, insisting that the current leaders must own up to their role in the party’s troubles.

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Court Faults Kaduna Police Ban On Political Gatherings, Awards ₦15m To ADC, SDP

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A Kaduna State High Court has declared unconstitutional the ban on political gatherings imposed by the state commissioner of police, describing it as a violation of citizens’ rights to freedom of assembly and association.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Murtala Zubairu ruled that the police acted outside their powers by disrupting an African Democratic Congress (ADC) meeting held on August 30, 2025, which was attended by former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai and other party leaders.

Thugs had invaded the meeting, attacking participants and damaging property, after which the police claimed the event was organised without prior notice to security agencies.

The police subsequently filed a case against the ADC and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing “inciting disturbance” and other offences — a move the court described as an abuse of process.

Justice Zubairu faulted the police’s actions, saying they amounted to “selective enforcement and abuse of power.”

> “The applicant’s actions demonstrate a clear pattern of potential abuse of power, warranting perpetual restraint by the Court,” the judge held.

 

He further declared the police’s blanket attempt to prohibit all political assemblies in the state as unconstitutional, awarding a total of ₦15 million in damages to the ADC and SDP.

The compensation covers:

  • The unlawful suspension of the September 4, 2025 meeting,
  • The wrongful portrayal of the parties as violent,
  • The improper ex parte injunction obtained by the police, and
  • The failure to investigate the August 30 violence.

The court also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the commissioner of police, his officers, and agents from interfering with lawful political activities without due process.

Additionally, Justice Zubairu ordered the police to investigate the August 30 attacks and submit a report to the Kaduna attorney-general within 60 days.

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