Welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Thursday, 22nd July 2021
1. Nigeria Has Lost Its Soul Under Buhari – Catholic Bishops
Some Bishops under the aegis of the Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province have called out the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for leadership failure.
The Bishops in their submission, said the Buhari-led government has plunged the country into a lot of problems by its selective style of justice.
They blamed the current administration for deepening ethnic and religious divides among Nigerians.
The Bishops from Ibadan Archdiocese, Ilorin, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti, and Osogbo Dioceses in a communiqué released after their meeting at the Domus Pacis Pastoral Institute, Igoba, Akure, on Wednesday said the federal government has failed in securing the lives and property of citizens but is going all out to hound perceived enemies.
According to the communiqué which was made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the state Ekiti state capital on Wednesday by the Catholic Bishop of Ekiti, Most Rev Felix Ajakaye, and signed by the province chairman, Most Rev Gabriel Abegunrin, and the secretary, Most Rev Akin Oyejola, Nigeria needs urgent revival as the spate of insecurity, economic downturn, and sufferings must not be allowed to continue.
2. Police Disperse Sunday Igboho Supporters In Ibadan
Armed policemen on Wednesday dispersed supporters of Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, who staged a protest in Ibadan against his arrest.
It was gathered that the armed policemen had taken over the place which the protester had converged around 3.30 pm.
The policemen stationed themselves at strategic positions at the location. After clearing the traffic, they stayed for a while before they finally left.
Truetells had earlier reported that Sunday Igboho was arrested at Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport with his wife on their way to Germany on Monday night.
Igboho is being held and set to be extradited to Nigeria after he was declared wanted by the Department of State Services (DSS) or arms stockpiling.
The protesters had gathered in front of Igboho’s house in the Soka area of Ibadan from where they took to the streets around 12 noon on Wednesday.
3. 2023: We Will Shock PDP Soon – Says APC
The All Progressives Congress has said it will shock the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party soon by bringing a consensus and agreeable presidential candidate that will fly its flag in 2023.
National Secretary, APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Sen. John Akpanudoehede, stated this in a statement dated Tuesday, July 20 in Abuja.
Truetells understands that the statement was in reaction to the Peoples Democratic Party’s recent allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari had a self-succession plan.
Akpanudoehede in the statement said APC would not watch to see individual ambitions obstruct the Buhari government ahead of the 2023 presidential poll.
4. 28 Boko Haram, ISWAP Fighters, Families Surrender In Borno
28 fleeing members of the Boko Haram/Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) and their families have surrendered to troops of 151 Task Force Battalion under 21 Special Brigade in Borno State.
Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu.
According to the statement, soldiers received the terrorists who were fleeing intense aerial and artillery bombardments.
The Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists and their families were taken in at the outskirts of Aza and Bula Daloye villages in the Bama LGA of Borno state by troops of the battalion on fighting patrol at Miyanti and Darajamel.
5. Gunmen Abduct Bayelsa SSG’s Mother
Unknown gunmen have abducted the 80-year-old mother of the Secretary to Bayelsa State Government (SSG), Rt. Hon. Konbowei Friday Benson, Betinah.
It was gathered that the gunmen dressed in military uniform abducted the woman at about 10 pm on Tuesday at her residence at the old legislative quarters in Yenagoa, the state capital.
It has not to be disclosed if the kidnappers have reached out to the affected family as of the time of filing the report.
The son of the abducted woman before his appointment by Governor Douye Diri as the Secretary to Bayelsa State Government in February 2020, was a two-term Speaker of the State House of Assembly and a PDP governorship aspirant during the 2019 gubernatorial poll in the state.
6. Sunday Igboho In Chains And Pains, Weeping In Custody – Lawyer
Yomi Aliyu, the lead counsel for arrested Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, has lamented his client’s treatment in the custody of the police in Benin Republic.
Speaking to The PUNCH on Tuesday, Aliyu said Igboho’s wife, Ropo, a German citizen, who was arrested together with the activist, was also kept in a separate cell by the police.
He said, “They chained him in the cell where they put him in Cotonou. There was a fracas at the airport yesterday when he was arrested. They hit him in the hand and that same hand was handcuffed, he is in pains and he was weeping like a child when I called, I heard him.
“The wife too was put in a separate cell but they didn’t chain the wife. He was crying, the wife was crying too cease he was writhing in pains seriously. We only pray they don’t pay anybody to kill him. You don’t out somebody in cell and still chain the person.
“You know he sustained injury and they didn’t take him to hospital for treatment. We heard that he is appearing in court tomorrow but I don’t know whether that will carry it out.”
7. Ganduje Pardons 136 Inmates, Gives Each N5,000 Transport Fare
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has visited the Goron-dutse Medium Correctional Centre and pardoned 136 inmates.
In a statement on Wednesday, the governor’s spokesman, Abba Anwar, said that the pardon was part of measures to decongest the correctional centres in the state.
Anwar added that the governor gave the inmates five thousand Naira to use as transport money for them to go back to their various destinations.
He, however, noted that Ganduje asked the inmates to be people of sound character when they are finally reintegrated into society.
Ganduje said some of the inmates were pardoned either owing to ill-health or because they have stayed longer than necessary.
He said some others were incarcerated because they were not able to pay the fines against them.
8. Prominent Kaduna Monarch Danjuma Barde Is Dead
The traditional ruler of Chikun in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Dr Danjuma Barde, is dead.
Truetells learned that the prominent monarch died in the early hours of Wednesday after battling an undisclosed ailment.
It was said that the first-class traditional ruler died at the Nigerian Army 44 Hospital in Kaduna.
Confirming the death of the monarch, the President of the Gbagyi Development Association (GDA), Peter Aboki, said that the traditional ruler died on Wednesday.
9. Sunday Igboho: Buhari Govt Becoming Enemy Of The People – Gani Adams
Aare Ona Kankanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has stated that the Muhammadu Buhari’s government clampdown on agitators can make them an enemy of the people.
The Yoruba traditional chief was reacting to the recent arrest of activist, Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, Gani Adams described attempts to criminalise Sunday Igboho’s case as undemocratic.
10. Tukur Buratai Behind Sunday Igboho Arrest, Planned Extradition From Benin
Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Benin Republic, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has been fingered as the brain behind the arrest of the Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho.
