Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Thursday, 1st July 2021
1. Onochie: PDP Chairman, Senator Abaribe, Others Protest At National Assembly
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday stormed the National Assembly in protest to demand lawmakers stop the confirmation of Lauretta Onochie as a commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The PDP leadership, led by its chairman, Prince Uche Secondus said Onochie should not be confirmed as an INEC commissioner because she is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and presented a letter to that effect to the screening committee.
Truetells Nigeria reports Onochie is President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on Social Media and was nominated by the President as an INEC commissioner representing Delta State.
On Wednesday, the PDP leadership stormed the National Assembly on the grounds of her being a registered member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which the main opposition party noted violates the provisions of Section 14(2a) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which states that “a member of the commission shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity.”
2. Three Senators Officially Dump PDP For APC
Three Senators on Wednesday notified the Senate leadership of their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The lawmakers communicated their decision in separate letters read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan during the plenary on Wednesday.
The Senators are the Minority Whip, Sahabi Ya’u (Zamfara North), Lawal Anka (Zamfara West), and Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North).
However, they all blamed their resignation on internal crisis, tyranny, and leadership failure within the PDP.
3. Kanu’s Arrest Can’t Stop Our Agitation For Biafra – IPOB Blows Hot
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared that the arrest of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu can’t stop the agitation of the group for a sovereign Biafra.
IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful declared in a statement on Wednesday that though Kanu has been arrested by the federal government, it is not the end of the road for them and their agitation.
He added that they would mobilize their members and storm the courts for Kanu’s trial which resumes on July 26.
Powerful in the statement also accused the federal government of ‘kidnapping’ Nnamdi Kanu but called on it to give the IPOB leader a fair hearing as the group, Nigerians and the international community will be watching.
4. Armed Bandits Kill Zamfara House Of Assembly Member
A member of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Mohammed Ahmed has been shot and killed by bandits.
Truetells Nigeria understands the lawmaker representing Shinkafi constituency in the state assembly was killed on Tuesday along the Sheme- Funtua Road in Katsina State while on a journey.
His death was confirmed by the Clerk of the Zamfara House House of Assembly, Saidu Anka.
Until his death, the deceased was the chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation.
Giving more details about the incident, the Zamfara House of Assembly director-general of press and public affairs, Mustafa Jafaru-Kaura, said the gunmen who killed the lawmaker also kidnapped his son and driver.
5. Lagos Rally: I Don’t Have Power To Fight Govt – Sunday Igboho
Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho, has noted that he does not have the power to fight the Federal Government or a local government Chairman.
The Oyo State indigene, however, said God would fight for them in their fight for the Yoruba Nation.
Igboho in a video where he was addressing followers reiterated that the planned Yoruba Nation rally will come up in Lagos on July 3.
He further stated that nobody had challenged the planned rally in Lagos, adding that “whoever will not allow us to come to Lagos should do a video”.
The Yoruba activist added that the people of Lagos are ready for the rally because they know it would be peaceful like the ones held in Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and the other Yoruba States.
6. UK Govt To Meet FG Over Nnamdi Kanu, Pledges To Assist Him
The British High Commission on Wednesday promised to meet with the Nigerian Government over the rearrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
A spokesperson of the British High Commission, Dean Hurlock, in a message forwarded to TheCable noted that the commission is “in the process of seeking clarification” from the federal government over Kanu’s rearrest.
“The British High Commission in Abuja is currently in the process of seeking clarification from the Nigerian government about the circumstances of the arrest,” he said.
He added that the UK “would expect any trial or legal proceedings to follow due process” as Kanu’s prosecution resumes.
Kanu who is also a British citizen was arrested and extradited to Nigeria on Sunday.
7. Bandits Attack Ganduje’s Convoy
The convoy of the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, was on Tuesday night attacked by gunmen suspected to be bandits.
It was gathered that three policemen sustained injuries during the attack which happened after the convoy was making its way to Kano from Zamfara State, where a mass All Progressives Congress (APC) rally held on Tuesday.
The Kano State Governor was in Zamfara State to welcome the state Governor, Bello Matawalle to the APC.
Sources in the government house confirmed the attack but noted that the Governor was not in the convoy when they encountered the gunmen.
It was disclosed that Ganduje joined the convoy of his Jigawa State Counterpart, Abubakar Badaru, after the mega rally in Gusau.
8. Eight Suspected Killers Of Unilorin Student Appear In Court
Eight people have been arranged before Ilorin High Court over the rape and murder of Olajide Blessing Omowumi, a 300-level student of the University of Ilorin.
However, the trial could not commence today because of the inability of three of the suspects to produce legal counsel.
The suspects; Abdulazeez Ismail, Ajala Moses Oluwatimileyin (aka Jacklord), Oyeyemi Timileyin Omogbolahan, Abdulkarim Shuaib (Easy), Kareem Oshioyemi Rasheed (Rashworld), Abdullateef Abdulrahman, Daud Bashir Adebayo (Bashman) and Akande Taiye Oladoja, were brought before Justice Ibrahim Adebayo Yusuf of an Ilorin High Court on Wednesday.
Justice Yusuf, however, adjourned the case till July 6, 2021, and ordered that they should be remanded in the Mandala Correctional facility.
9. Kanu Arrest: IPOB Members Protest In Port Harcourt
Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra have taken to the streets of Port Harcourt, Rivers State to protest over the arrest of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Recall that the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the federation, Abubakar Malami, during a media briefing said the IPOB leader was arrested on Sunday due to “the collaborative efforts of Nigerian intelligence and security services”.
The video was posted on Instagram by a former presidential aide to ex-president, Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri.
10. Terrorists Using Social Media To Recruit And Radicalize Youths In Nigeria – NSA
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno has alleged that some terrorist groups are using social media platforms to recruit and radicalize Nigerian youths.
Monguno said this at the ongoing United Nations (UN) high-level conference of heads of counter-terrorism agencies of member states in New York, United States according to a statement on Tuesday from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
He described the activities of terrorists as a great threat to human existence and welfare generally.
He, therefore, appealed for more collaborative efforts among international security organizations to curb the complex activities of terrorists and their organizations.
