Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Truetells Nigeria roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Friday, 25th June 2021
1. Buhari Off To London For Another Medical Check-Up
President Muhammadu Buhari will on June 25 depart for London, United Kingdom, for a scheduled medical follow-up.
Naija News reports that this was made known on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
According to Femi Adesina, President Buhari will return to the country during the second week of July, 2021.
2. Insecurity: Irabor Meets Retired Senior Officers From South West
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor, on Thursday met with retired senior military officers from the South-West to discuss the security challenges in the country.
Irabor while speaking at the opening of the meeting on Thursday at the Headquarters of 2 Division Nigerian Army, Ibadan, said the meeting was fixed to trace the root of the security challenges affecting the country.
He said the meeting was to tap from the wealth of experience and knowledge of the retired officers and other stakeholders.
3. People Living Outside Nigeria Used Twitter To Attack Security Agents, Destroy Public Infrastructure – Lai Mohammed
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has alleged that some people living outside the country, used Twitter to cause attacks on security agents and public infrastructures in the country.
According to the Minister, such people used the micro-blogging platform to instruct and influence their followers residing in Nigeria to carry out the attacks.
He made the allegation in Lagos on Thursday in a paper titled “contemporary challenges of information and communication management – regulatory issues and requirements” delivered as the keynote address at the Meeting of Information Managers of APC Government.
While reiterating the need for social media to be regulated, Mohammed stated that social media if not well managed can cause greater problems.
Mohammed also argued that the ban on Twitter can’t be seen as a gag on social media in the country as the platform is just one of the applications available while Nigerians have access to others like Facebook, Whatsapp, etc.
4. Trouble For PDP As Court Nullifies Delegate Congress In Anambra
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday nullified the elections held by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State on June 10 and 11.
Truetells Nigeria recalls that the PDP had elected a three-man ad-hoc ward delegate that would participate in the voting at the primary of the PDP scheduled for June 26, 2021.
Ruling, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi held that all activities engaged in by the PDP after the court’s June 9, 2021 judgment sacking the Anambra PDP’s Executive Council (EXCO), including the June 10 and 11 elections, were null and void because they were done in violation of orders contained in the judgment.
Justice Adeniyi also rejected the request by the PDP and two of its chieftains – Chief Ndubisi Nwobu and Barr. Uchenna Obiora – for an order staying the court’s June 9 judgment, The Nation reports.
5. IPOB vs Bandits: Sheikh Gumi And His Likes Can’t Stop Biafra – Nnamdi Kanu
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has accused Sheikh Ahmad Gumi of championing the cause of bandits in Nigeria.
Gumi had stated that Fulani herdsmen and bandits only abduct students for money while IPOB killed security operatives in the Southeast.
Reacting in a statement through the spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful, Nnamdi Kanu stated that the Islamic cleric is a sponsor of bandits.
IPOB insisted that the Eastern Security Network (ESN) was not against Northerners in the Southeast but terrorists.
6. What We’re Doing To Improve Security – Osinbajo
The Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday, disclosed what the Federal Government is doing to end insecurity in the country.
Osinbajo revealed this when receiving the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Adeola Ajakaiye, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a statement, titled, ‘What we are currently doing to improve security, by Osinbajo.’
The Vice President while speaking on the effort to tackle insecurity, said the supplementary budget sent to the National Assembly, on enhancing the capacity of the military and other security agencies, is part of the concerted efforts of the Buhari regime to beef up its response to the nation’s security challenges.
Osinbajo charged traditional rulers, local and state governments to collaborate with the Federal Government in tackling insecurity.
7. Buhari Allocates Houses To Peter Rufai, Sunday Oliseh, Other 94 Super Eagles Squad
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday allocated houses to the Super Eagles squad that won the African Cup of Nations in Tunis, Tunisia, in 1994.
The spokesman of the President, Garba Shehu, in a statement, noted that the allocation of houses is in fulfilment of a promise made by the Federal Government.
He further stated that his principal approved three bedroom allocations in their states of preference, following a memo by Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola.
Shehu said six players and three technical crew members have received their houses already.
8. Nigeria’s Public Debt Profile Rises To ₦33.11tr – NBS
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has confirmed that the total debt profile for Nigeria (States and Federal Debt Stock) currently stands at ₦33.11trn.
This is according to the data released on Thursday by the NBS where it noted that the current stock is as at 31st March 2021.
Further breakdown of the data shows that Nigeria’s total public debt comprises N12.47trn or 37.67% external debt while 20.64trn or 62.33% of the debt was domestic.
FGN Only domestic debt stock was put at N16.51 while States and FCT domestic debt stock was put at N4.12trn.
9. Petrol Should Sell At N256 Per Litre – NNPC
The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, has stated that Nigerians are meant to be paying at least N256 per litre for petrol.
Truetells Nigeria reports that the NNPC GMD stated this at a stakeholders meeting organised by the NNPC to stop fuel smuggling.
The NNPC GMD disclosed that the federal government is injecting between N140 billion to N150bn monthly to keep petrol price at N162 per litre, from its actual N256.
He however said with the high volume of daily consumption, the country cannot sustain subsidy payment.
10. Alleged Rape: Baba Ijesha Granted Bail
Nollywood actor, Omiyinka Olanrewaju a. k. a. Baba Ijesha has been granted N2m bail by an Ikeja sexual offences court sitting in Lagos State.
The presiding judge, Toyin Taiwo granted the actor bail on Thursday after hearing the submissions of the prosecution and defence in the alleged sexual defilement of a minor brought against Baba Ijesha.
The actor has been in custody since April 22, 2021.
It will be recalled as earlier reported by Naija News that Baba Ijesha had pleaded not guilty to all the charges bordering on rape, sexual assault and abuse of a minor levelled against him.
Appearing before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, Baba Ijesha wore a white hooded jacket.
The actor is being tried over charges bothering on rape, sexual assault and abuse of a minor by the State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
