Nigerian Newspaper Headlines Today, Friday, 18th June, 2021

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Friday, 18th June 2021
1. Don’t Give Criminal Elements Breathing Space, Buhari Tells Military
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the military not to give the criminals a breathing space to undermine the country’s national security.

Speaking on Thursday during an official visit to Maiduguri, Borno state capital, the president commended the troops for their loyalty and selfless service to Nigeria.

The National leader, however, asked the military asked not to relent in their efforts to bring an end to insurgency in the region.

President Buhari assured the troops that his administration will sustain its investment in the armed forces.

2. Police Confirm Kebbi Students Abduction, Chase After Bandits
The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed the attack on Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri in Kebbi State, by gunmen suspected to be bandits.
Truetells Nigeria had earlier reported that the attackers, who rode on motorcycles, were said to have stormed the school from neighboring Rijau forest in the early hours of Thursday.

A teacher, who did not want to be named, said that the gunmen conveyed their victims in a bus belonging to a parent.

According to the school official, they had received information on a plan to invade Birnin Yauri community.

He said a detachment of mobile policemen were deployed last week to the school, to prevent the attack.

The teacher said when the bandits finally struck, the security operatives engaged them in a shootout but they were overpowered.

Confirming the attack in a statement on Thursday, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nafiu Abubakar, stated that officers of the command are currently chasing after the assailants.

3. I Owe Nigerians A lot For Their Love For Me – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Borno State, declared that Nigerians have shown him so much love and he remains grateful to them.

The President made the declaration while speaking at the palace of the Shehu of Borno during his official visit to Maiduguri, Borno State.

Buhari was quoted by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu to have said during the visit that the love shown to him by Nigerians will spur him to continue to serve them in his best capacity.

The President promised to make the welfare of Nigerians a top priority including doing all that is necessary to provide adequate security for the citizens and residents of the country.

4. Northern Group Declares Nnamdi Kanu Wanted, Places N100 Million Bounty
A northern group known as the Northern Consensus Movement(NCM) has declared the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu wanted.

Speaking during a press conference on Thursday by its president, Dr. Auwal Abdullahi, the group also placed an N100 million bounty on Kanu.

The group said: “We are declaring Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB and ESN wanted for the killings, destructions of properties of Northerners residing and undertaking their lawful businesses in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria.”

“We of the northern consensus movement, NCM, an amalgamation of more than 75 organizations of northern extraction have taken it upon ourselves as active and responsible citizens of this country to state in clear, unequivocal terms and without any form of ambiguity that; Nigeria is a democratic nation under a democratically elected government.”

5. Death Threats Won’t Stop Me, EFCC Will Prosecute Orji Kalu, Others – Bawa
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has said threats to his life won’t stop him from prosecuting many pending cases under trial.

Truetells Nigeria reports that the EFCC chairman stated this Thursday while addressing journalists during the weekly ministerial chat at the State House in Abuja.

He revealed that the commission will restart the prosecution of former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.

He disclosed that since his first 100 days in office, the anti-graft agency has been working on a number of proactive strategies including a special control unit against money laundering, established particularly to address non-designated financial institutions including car dealers, real estate, jewellery dealers, among others.

The EFCC chairman expressed confidence that when the special control unit is fully established, corruption will significantly decline in the country.

6. Troops Arrest Suspected Chadian Kidnapper, Eliminate Terrorists
The Defence Headquarters on Thursday disclosed that troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested a Chadian identified as Mohammed Maki, accused of coordinating a kidnapping syndicate and terrorist groups in North-East.

The development was disclosed by the Acting Director, Defence Media Operation, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, while speaking with newsmen on military operations across the country between June 3 and June 16 on Thursday in Abuja.

Onyeuko further stated that the troops conducted several raids, extensive airstrikes, responded to distress calls as well as repelled and thwarted terrorists’ attacks in the region during the period.

He further stated that the Air Task Force conducted airstrikes executed within Damboa on June 3, dislodging several terrorists and inflicted significant damages on their logistics facilities.

7. There’s A Lot Of Work To Be Done, Buhari Charges Troops
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday while addressing troops of the Nigerian Army said there is more work to be done in the fight against insecurity in the country.

Buhari made this call while addressing the troops of the Joint Task Force at Maimalari Cantonment parade ground in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

The President also assured the armed forces of more procurement of armaments.

Buhari arrived at Maimalari parade ground at exactly 11:30 am and was received by the combined bands of the army and the police.

8. Gunmen Kill Police Officer, Kidnap Four Chinese Men In Ogun
An officer of the Nigeria Police Force has been killed by unknown gunmen who stormed Kila, a community between Ogun and Oyo states on Wednesday.

Reports reaching Naija News confirmed that the assailants also kidnapped four Chinese railway workers working on the Lagos-Ibadan railway during the attack.

The police personnel killed was said to be attached to the foreigners. Confirming the incident to reporters, eyewitnesses said the gunmen were dressed in black kaftan when they stormed the site of the rail project at Adeaga/Alaagba and killed the policeman while struggling to abduct the Chinese workers.

They were reported to have laid an ambush in the surrounding forest for the expatriates. On his part, while reacting to the development on Thursday, the police public relations officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi said the victims were ambushed around the area by eight gunmen.

9. Court Restrains Ondo Govt From Probing Chief Judge Over Viral Video
A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Ondo State Government from investigating the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Akeredolu over a viral video made by her relative, Olupelumi Fagboyegun.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who gave the order on Thursday while delivering a judgment in the suit brought by the CJ against Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and others, described the move to probe the embattled judge as “unconstitutional and illegal.”

Fagboyegun, who claimed to be a stepbrother to the state’s chief judge, in the viral video, had alleged that Akeredolu instigated his detention for three years for going to their father’s house.

The state government, through the Attorney General, however, ordered an investigation and probe of abuse of power by Justice Akeredolu.

However, the judge had filed a suit challenging the action of the state government, alleging that the governor was plotting to remove her from office.

10. Lai Mohammed Seeks Law To Regulate Social, Online Media
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has asked the House of Representatives to enact a law to regulate social and online media in Nigeria.

Mohammed made this known on Wednesday at a public hearing organized by the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics, and Values on a bill to amend the NBC act.

The minister asked the lawmakers to amend the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) act to empower the agency to regulate social and online media.