Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Monday, 17th May 2021
1. African Finance Summit: Buhari Departs Nigeria For France
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday departed Nigeria for Paris, France to attend the African Finance Summit.
Naija News reports that Buhari will be in France on a four-day official visit to attend the Summit which would focus on reviewing the African economy, following shocks from the Coronavirus pandemic, and getting relief, especially from the increased debt burden on countries.
The summit is to be hosted by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and would be attended by major stakeholders in the global finance world as well as other heads of government.
The presidency in a statement on Saturday disclosed that the president would meet with Macron to discuss growing security threats in Sahel and Lake Chad region, political relations, economic ties, climate change and partnership in buoying the health sector, particularly in checking spread of Covid-19, with more research and vaccines.
2. Power To Change Nigeria Does Not Lie In Aso Rock – Atiku Tells Governors
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has called on the 36 state governors to take the bull by the horn and convene a National Unity Summit.
This is as he submitted that the solutions to the country’s challenges can’t be gotten from the central government in Abuja alone but every stakeholder must play their part.
Atiku in his submission on Sunday in a personally signed statement on Sunday made available to Naija News noted that the country is drifting apart and the current administration is not addressing the challenges as it should.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain added that the nation is facing several challenges but the challenges facing Nigeria were not what they looked like ten years ago and a lot of things are going wrong in the country at the moment.
3. Wike, Amaechi Trade Tackles Over Insecurity In Rivers State
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Sunday, traded words over the security situation in Rivers.
Wike and Amaechi both disagreed on the challenges of insecurity the state is battling with.
Naija News understands that Amaechi, while speaking in Port Harcourt at an event to welcome two former commissioners in the government of Wike and some others who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) blamed the current Governor for the state of insecurity in the state.
He also accused Wike of using state funds to acquire personal properties and wasting state resources on frivolities.
However, the Rivers State Governor in a quick reaction contained in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, on Sunday said Amaechi’s failures during his tenure as the state governor as well as the current failures of the APC-led President Muhammadu Buhari at the federal level are factors responsible for the security challenges in the state.
4. Jonathan: I Didn’t Use My Position To Punish People
Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, on Sunday, noted that while he was in office he never used his position to punish people.
Jonathan, who was once the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, later governed the state and from there became Vice-President before he emerged president of Nigeria.
The former President while speaking in Benin, during the 50th birthday celebration of Charles Osazuwa, president of the Rock of Ages Christian Assembly, said while in politics, he had a conviction to never cause the death of anyone.
5. 2023: Third Party Will Emerge If APC Denies Tinubu Ticket – Ex-lawmaker
A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Shaeed Akinade-Fijabi, has warned that a new party will be created if the All Progressives Congress denies its National Leader, Bola Tinubu the presidential ticket in 2023.
Akinade-Fijabi in his statement said a third party in favour of Tinubu would challenge both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The former lawmaker stated this on a radio program in Ibadan on Saturday while reacting to the possibilities of the former governor of Lagos State emerging as Nigeria’s next president.
6. Kaduna Power Distribution Company Joins Strike, Cut Off Power To The State
The Kaduna State Electricity Distribution Company has announced a power outage due to the union strike.
“In accordance with the orders of the NLC, TCN has cut off all 33KV power lines across Kaduna State,” the company said in a statement.
The statement said the power outage was the result of an industrial strike in the state
This comes ahead of the start of a strike by the union that will begin on Sunday night to pressure the state governor to reverse his decision to lay off workers.
7. Insecurity: Train, Equip Soldiers – IBB Urges FG
Former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, has charged the Federal Government to train and equip military officers with modern weapons to fight against insecurity.
IBB while speaking on the security challenges in the country, said he has been engaging and advising the government without making it public.
The elder statesman said it is important that Nigerians support the government and the military to bring an end to the security crisis.
When asked if those at the helms of affairs are playing the desired role in bringing an end to insecurity, he said, “There are many things they need to put right. If they agree to sit down and think over, I believe success will be achieved.”
He changed people in power to rally around the soldiers and other security agents.
8. Suspected Bandit Responsible For Attacking Imo Police Headquarters Arrested
The Imo State Police Command has announced the arrest of a suspected bandit said to be part of the gang that recently attacked the Nigeria Correctional Services and the Police headquarters back in April.
The suspect, identified as Michael Osundu was arrested by operatives of the Imo Police Command who were on a surveillance and confidence-building patrol.
The suspect according to a statement made available to Naija News on Sunday by the Imo Police Spokesperson, SP Ikeokwu Godson Orlando claimed to be a Police Spy trained at the Police Training School, Ikeja.
Items recovered from him during the arrest include one English-made Pump action rifle and twenty-six (26) live cartridges, and a pair of Police uniforms with the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) which was hidden in his Tinted Toyota Escalade vehicle.
The suspect claims to be based in London, the United Kingdom but the State Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro has ordered a full scale investigation into the matter.
9. We Can’t Ignore Southern Govs’ Decision On Open Grazing – Miyetti Allah
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) says the North cannot afford to ignore the recent unanimous decision of southern governors to place a ban on open grazing in their states.
National Secretary of MACBAN, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, said northern governors should rise up to the challenge by working out a solution of their own that will be generally acceptable.
He said the northern governors should also consider reactivating the over 400 inactive grazing reserves in the north and make them attractive for pastoralists to settle.
Ngelzarma added that the grazing reserves, if reactivated, with the provision of schools, veterinary clinics, hospital services among others, it would give the pastoralists an opportunity to be educated and also stop them from roaming.
10. Unknown Gunmen Burn Down Police Station In Delta, Kill Three
Unknown gunmen have attacked the Nsukwa Divisional Police Station in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State.
It was gathered that the attack by the gunmen also left three police officers feared dead.
According to The Punch, the hoodlums attacked the Police Station around 2.am Sunday morning.
It was learnt that the building and vehicles were razed while the hoodlums carted away their ammunition.
Police sources in the Ogwash-Uku, a neighbouring community confirmed the attack.
