Top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 10th August 2021
1. Why Police Stormed Our Secretariat On Monday – APC
There were strong indications, on Monday, that some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had perfected plans to storm the party’s national secretariat to cause a breach of public peace over the continued leadership of Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee.
This group, Truetells Nigeria learnt from impeccable sources in the APC, had vowed that the Buni Committee would be fought hard on all fronts, including attacks on staff members of the Secretariat until they stepped down.
Consequently, the party hierarchy invited security personnel to man strategic locations within the precinct of the party secretariat in Abuja as a proactive measure.
This led to the heavy presence of security operatives around the National Secretariat of the party as previously reported by this online news medium.
Corroborating the source, the APC Caretaker Committee Secretary, Senator James Akpanudoedehe, stated that the presence of a detachment of heavily armed police and operatives of the department of security services (DSS) was to forestall any attacks on the lives and properties in the secretariat, stressing that Buni’s leadership of the party was intact and on solid ground.
2. FG Announces New Date For COVID-19 Vaccination Phase 2 Roll Out
The federal government has picked a new date to roll out the second batch of COVID-19 vaccination for Nigerians.
Speaking on Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed announced the new date as August 16, 2021.
He made the disclosure while featuring on “Good Morning Nigeria’’ a live programme of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
It will be recalled that Naija News on Sunday reported that the government has postponed the earlier announced kick-off date for the commencement of the second phase of COVID-19 vaccinations in the country.
But on Monday, Mohammed gave further updates on the development, explaining that the date was postponed for purely administrative reasons.
He added that contrary to belief in some quarters, the Moderna vaccines donated by the United States are totally safe and verified for use by NAFDAC.
3. DSS Asks Court To Nullify Bail Granted To Sunday Igboho’s Aides
The Department of State Services, DSS, has applied for the fresh remand of four of the 12 detained aides of embattled Yoruba freedom fighter, Chief Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho, in its custody.
Truetells Nigeria reports that the DSS, through its counsel, Mr Idowu Awo, argued in the fresh application filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, that the four agitators have intensified plans with their associates to flee to Benin Republic once they are released from custody.
Consequently, the DSS urged the court to remand the four detained aides of Igboho pending their arraignment during court vacation.
4. PDP Crisis: I Won’t Resign From My Position – Secondus
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has vowed not to resign from his position.
Recall that seven NWC members of the PDP resigned their position in protest over an alleged poor leadership of the party.
The seven deputy national officers accused Secondus of not carrying other NWC members along in the scheme of things, adding that they were also not comfortable working with Secondus due to the recent gale of defections of party bigwigs.
Also, nine members of the PDP’s NWC met on Sunday to extensively deliberate on the crisis rocking the main opposition party.
The NWC members felt that the Rivers-born politician has grossly mismanaged the party and described Secondus as highly incompetent.
Reacting in a statement on Monday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Ike Abonyi, the embattled PDP chairman said that he will remain focus and committed to the ideals of the party which he swore to protect and defend upon his election.
Secondus, however, asked those calling for his resignation should come clean on his offence.
5. Usifo Ataga’s Murder: Court Remands Chidinma For 30 Days
A Yaba Magistrates’ Court has remanded Chidinma Ojukwu, the suspected killer of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, for 30 days.
Truetells Nigeria earlier reported that the Lagos Police Command had arraigned the 21-year-old suspect over the alleged murder of the Ataga.
Police counsel Cyril Ejiofor had prayed the court to remand both first defendant Ojukwu and second defendant, Adedapo Quadri, pending the issuance of a Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) report on the matter.
Director, Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Dr Babajide Martins, who observed that the prosecution failed to furnish him with the remand application, did not oppose Ejiofor’s prayer “on principle.”
Granting the prosecution’s prayer, Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo remanded Ojukwu for 30 days following an application by the police.
6. Insecurity: Buhari Doing Better Than Your Party Did In 16 Years – APC Replies PDP
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has replied the submission by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed Nigerians.
The APC in a statement on Monday by the National Secretary of its Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe said PDP has no moral right to speak on insecurity.
This comes after an earlier allegation by the PDP that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed in the area of security and other promises made to Nigerians.
But the ruling party in its response has noted that the administration of President Buhari is dealing effectively with the security challenges in the country.
According to the APC, the promise by President Buhari to secure the lives and property of citizens and residents remain a top priority.
The party recalled that there has been a reduction in the frequency of strikes and bombings in various parts of the country compared to when the PDP was in power.
7. Okorocha Loses Property Worth Millions Of Naira To Imo Govt
A State High Court in Owerri has ordered the final forfeiture of some properties belonging to Senator Rochas Okorocha and other members of his family.
The forfeited properties are contained in pages 226 to 272 of the Imo state Government white paper report by a Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Recovery of Lands and other related matters.
According to the ruling by Justice Fred Njemanze, who was sitting as a vacation judge, Okorocha’s counsel failed to give concrete and verifiable reasons why a final and absolute forfeiture order should not be given in favour of the Imo state government.
Justice Njemanze added that the suit filed against the Imo government by Okorocha’s counsel was not properly filed.
Justice Njemanze maintained that the white paper gazette by the Imo government is a legal binding document.
8. Troops Prevent Deadly Boko Haram Attack On Damboa
The Nigerian Army on Monday disclosed that terrorists loyal to Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) attempted to overrun Damboa in Borno State.
Their attempt to attack the state was however prevented by troops of the Nigerian Army who repelled them with superior gunfire.
According to a statement made available to Naija News on Monday by the spokesman of the Army, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, troops of 25 Task Force Brigade, Operation HADIN KAI confronted the terrorists and foiled the attack.
Many of the terrorists sustained gunshot wounds during the fight while unfortunately, two vehicles belonging to the Civilian Joint Task Force were razed by fire during the incident.
9. Niger Govt Confirms Abduction Of Information Commissioner
The Niger State Government, on Monday, confirmed the abduction of its Commissioner for Information, Mohammed Sani Idris.
The Chief Press Secretary to the state Governor, Sani Bello, Mary Noel-Berje, released a statement on Monday.
She noted that the commissioner was abducted at about 1 am from his home at Baban Tunga village in Tafa Local Government Area.
Noel-Berje further stated that security agencies are on the trail of the assailants.
10. U.S Court Postpones Abidemi Rufai’s Trial To 2022
The fraud trial of Nigerian politician, Abidemi Rufai, who was indicted for alleged conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, has been postponed to 2022.
Truetells Nigeria reports that a fresh ruling of the court has postponed the commencement of Rufai’s trial by five months.
Rufai was arrested at the JFK airport in New York on May 14 over alleged $350,000 COVID-19 unemployment fraud in the United States.
The trial, earlier scheduled to commence on August 31, has now been postponed to February 1, 2022.
The new trial date is based on agreement between the prosecution and the defence, describing the case as “unusual and complex”.
