Welcome to Truetells Nigeria roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Friday, 9th July 2021
1. Buhari Sends 2022-2024 MTEF To National Assembly
President Muhammadu Buhari has sent the 2022-2024 Medium Time Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper to the National Assembly for consideration and passage.
Truetells Nigeria reports that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, read the cover letter on the MTEF/FSP at the plenary on Thursday.
Buhari said, “It is with pleasure that I forward 2022-2024 Medium Time Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) for the kind consideration and approval of the House of Representatives.
2. INEC Commissioner: Onochie ‘Denies’ APC During Screening
Lauretta Onochie, Special Assistant on Social Media to President Muhammadu Buhari has said she does not belong to any political party.
Truetells Nigeria understands that Onochie stated this on Thursday during the screening by lawmakers for her possible appointment as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The presidential aide among others appeared before the Nigerian Senate for commencement of the process of screening.
However, amid controversies on her nomination, Onochie denied been a supporter of any party including the All Progressive Congress, the party of her principal, President Muhammadu Buhari.
3. Police Commission Drops Ibrahim Magu, Promotes 24 CPs To AIG Rank
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of 24 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police.
The Commission, however, declined the promotion of former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, CP Ibrahim Magu.
Truetells Nigeria reports that this was made known by the PSC’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, made this known in a statement on Thursday titled, ‘PSC Promotes 24 CPs, 35 DCPs, 52 ACPs, 50 CSPs, Drops Ibrahim Magu’.
Ani said the decisions were the highpoints of the Commission’s 12th Plenary Meeting held on Tuesday and Wednesday, which was presided over by the Commission’s Chairman, Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police.
4. Deadly Delta COVID-19 Variant Now In Nigeria – NCDC
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced that the deadly SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant has been found in Nigeria.
In a statement on Thursday by its Head of Communications, Dr. Yahya Disu, the NCDC said it detected the variant, also known as lineage B.1.617.2, in a traveller who came to Nigeria.
Disu stated that the variant was detected after a routine travel test was conducted on all international travellers and genomic sequencing at the NCDC National Reference Laboratory, Abuja.
The NCDC spokesman noted that the variant had also been linked to a surge in cases in countries where it is the dominant strain in circulation.
5. Ex-JAMB Registrar, Ojerinde Gets N200m Bail
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail in the sum of N200m to a former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a ruling on Thursday, ordered Ojerinde to deposit his international passport at the court as part of the bail requirements.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned Ojerinde on Tuesday in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/97/2021, on an 18-count charge bordering on misappropriation of funds to the tune of N900 million.
The commission alleged that the former registrar committed multiple frauds while heading JAMB and the National Examination Council (NECO).
6. FG Demands Return Of 1,130 Artefacts Stolen From Nigeria, Germany Responds
Nigeria has demanded the full and unconditional return of 1,130 Benin Bronzes said to have been looted from Nigeria in the 19th century and taken to Germany.
According to a statement on Thursday, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed made the demand on Wednesday in Berlin, Germany during meetings with some German officials.
The statement issued by the Minister’s media aide, Segun Adeyemi disclosed Mohammed made the request for the return of the artefacts during separate meetings with the German Minister of State for Culture, Monika Grutters, and the German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas.
Germany has now agreed that the artefacts would be returned to Nigeria from the beginning of 2022.
7. Presidency Reacts As Police Commission Fails To Promote Magu
The presidency has declared that President Muhammadu Buhari has no hand in the decision of the Police Service Commission (PSC) not to promote Ibrahim Magu.
Magu, a former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was conspicuously missing on the list as the PSC on Thursday announced the promotion of 24 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspector-General (AIG).
Truetells Nigeria recalls the PSC in a statement by its spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani titled ‘PSC Promotes 24 CPs, 35 DCPs, 52 ACPs, 50 CSPs, Drops Ibrahim Magu,’ explained that the Commission’s 12th Plenary Meeting held on Tuesday and Wednesday, which was presided over by its Chairman, Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police declined the promotion of CP Magu to the rank of AIG over pending clearance from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the Office of the Inspector General of Police.
But insinuations arose that President Buhari might have influenced the decision of the PSC against Magu.
But reacting to the media report in a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the Presidency said Buhari had no hand in the decision taken by the commission.
8. PDP vs APC: Makinde Worried By Defections, Says Nigeria Needs Leaders With Conscience
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde on Thursday declared that what Nigeria needs to move forward is leaders with conscience.
The Governor made the submission when he received the report of a seven-man reconciliation committee of the south-west Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by a former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
Makinde while praising the committee for a job weldone, however, lamented that some PDP politicians including Governors and lawmakers had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) between the time the committee was inaugurated and when it completed its job.
The Oyo State Governor added that PDP must position itself as a credible alternative to the APC, noting that the report is coming at a good time as the party prepares for its zonal congress so the opportunity can be used to pull back aggrieved members.
9. History Will Not Overlook The Failure Of Present Administration – CAN
The Christian Association of Nigeria on Thursday called out President Muhammadu Buhari-led government over the increasing rate of abduction of students and pastors in the country.
The Christain body raised this concern in a statement released through its General Secretary, Daramola Bade Joseph, on Thursday.
CAN wondered why security operatives in the country were brutal against peaceful protesters and Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho.
This is as the body also said “Nigeria’s unity is on trial” with the leniency showed on criminals and “those speaking in favour of terrorists”.
10. Army Arrests Suspected Boko Haram Informant For Spying On Soldiers
The Nigerian Army has arrested a suspected terrorist identified as Abor Kawu for spying on soldiers in Katarko village of Yobe State.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
According to Nwachukwu, troops of Sector 2 Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai arrested the suspected insurgent in the village and foiled an attack on the village.
The Army spokesman added that the Boko Haram member confessed to have monitored and disclosed troops’ location and movements to the terrorists.
He noted troops had been placed on red alert added that based on this revelation, adding that effort was ongoing to unravel the network of informants in the area.
