Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has refused to open his defence in the terrorism case filed against him by the federal government.

At the resumed proceedings on Monday, Kanu — who recently dismissed his legal team and opted to represent himself — told the court that after reviewing his case file, he found no valid charge against him.

“Join me in praising God. I have gone through my case file, and there is no charge against me,” Kanu said in court.

The separatist leader, dressed in white, told the presiding judge that the charges were baseless and could not be supported by any existing Nigerian law.

“There is no extant law in this country upon which the prosecution can predicate the charges against me. If there’s any, let my Lord read it out to me,” he said.

Kanu insisted that he should not be compelled to defend a charge that, according to him, does not exist under Nigerian law.

“So, I should not enter any defence in a charge that does not exist under any law in Nigeria. I urge you to release me today or grant me bail,” he told the court.

The matter was adjourned after his statement, as the court is expected to decide on the next line of action regarding his refusal to proceed with defence.

More to come…

Stephen Bannon, a former White House chief strategist, says US President Donald Trump will get a third term in office.

Bannon, who served briefly under Trump’s first administration, made the claim in an interview with The Economist on Thursday.

“Trump is going to be president in ’28, and people ought to just get accommodated with that,” Bannon said.

The statement has stirred controversy across political circles in the US, as the country’s 22nd Amendment forbids a president from seeking office for more than two four-year terms — whether consecutive or not.

When asked if he meant the law would be disregarded, Bannon responded:

“There’s many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is — but there is a plan.”

He insisted that Trump’s re-election is a necessity, arguing that the US needs him “to finish what we started”.

“He is a vehicle of divine providence — an instrument of divine will,” Bannon said. “We need him for at least one more term, and he’ll get that in ’28. The only way President Trump wins in 2028 and continues to stay in office is by the will of the American people — and the will of the American people is what the Constitution embodies.”

Barely a week into his second term, Republican lawmakers began floating the idea of keeping Trump in office beyond the constitutional limit.

Trump himself appeared to encourage the idea earlier this year. In March, he said he was considering the possibility because “a lot of people” wanted him to.

He later walked back the statement in May.

But last week, Trump reignited speculation when he posted an AI-generated video on his Truth Social account depicting a Time magazine cover featuring imaginary campaign signs for 2024, 2028, 2032, and beyond.

The post was accompanied by other digitally edited clips portraying him as a king and dumping brown liquid on protesters carrying “No Kings” placards.

Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, says the federal government is working on a bill that will mandate public officials to patronise Nigerian airlines on international routes.

Speaking on Sunday during the ceremonial send-off of Air Peace’s inaugural direct flight from Abuja to London Heathrow Airport, Keyamo said the proposed bill, titled “Fly Nigerian Act”, will be presented to the national assembly soon.

Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the house of representatives, and Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace, were at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to witness the event.

“We are going to bring the bill on the Fly Nigerian Air to him (Benjamin Kalu). He will pass it,” Keyamo said.

The minister explained that the proposed legislation would require every government official travelling abroad to first patronise local airlines operating on the same route, except where no Nigerian carrier flies that route.

Keyamo noted that such a move aligns with international best practices, citing examples of countries like the United States and India which have similar laws protecting their national carriers.

“We have the Fly American Act. I think we have the Fly India Act. We have these laws all over the world, but we have not implemented them,” he said.

“If a government official, member of the house of representatives, member of the senate, minister, DG, or government official is flying to any part of the world, the first question you ask them is: is there a Nigerian airline flying that route? You must buy that airline ticket first, except that they are not flying that route. That is the Fly Nigerian Act that we want to do.”

He assured that his ministry is committed to ensuring the passage of the legislation, adding that it will strengthen Nigeria’s aviation industry and boost confidence in domestic carriers.