Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Friday, 7th May 2021
1. NIN-SIM Linkage Will Help Us Identify Crooks – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the National Identification Number (NIN) and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) integration exercise will help Nigeria identify crooks.
He further stated that the exercise will provide a digital framework for improving security and strengthening the economy.
Buhari stated this while inaugurating the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in Nigerian Telecoms Sector and Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Cards registration at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President said proper identification of all Nigerians and legal residents in the country and the ability to conveniently access a database would provide an impetus for more effective planning and security oversight.
2. Gunmen Kidnap ABSU Students In Ambush
Armed men on Wednesday night abducted an unknown number of students of Abia University, state officials stated.
The armed men abducted the students while travelling on a bus along Okigwe-Uturu Road.
The commissioner for information in the state, John Kalu, confirmed in a statement on Thursday.
3. Gumi Reveals When Abducted Greenfield Varsity Students Will Be Freed
Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has revealed when the remaining students of the Greenfield University, Kaduna will be released.
Speaking on Thursday while receiving the parents of the 27 Afaka students on a thank-you visit to his Kaduna residence, Gumi said the remaining Greenfield varsity students will regain their freedom soon.
The controversial cleric noted that negotiation was ongoing for the release of the students, adding that the students are in good health.
Gumi, however, said that the bandits had decided not to kill the students after the parents failed to provide N100 million and 10 motorcycles for the bandits.
4. Insecurity: What Senate President Lawan Told Service Chiefs
Senate President Ahmad Lawan has expressed confidence in the ability of the nation’s service chiefs to win the war against insurgency and insecurity in Nigeria.
Lawan made the submission on Thursday while receiving the security chiefs into the Senate Chamber for a discussion with the lawmakers on the security situation in the country.
He noted that the security chiefs are doing their best with the resources available to them but the Senators would continue to provide legislative support for their efforts at curbing insecurity.
Before the meeting went into a closed-door session, Lawan assured the security chiefs that the lawmakers will provide the necessary support to overcome the various security challenges.
5. Pastor Adeboye Loses Son
Pastor Dare Adeboye, son to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye has been confirmed dead.
Reports reaching Naija News at this time revealed that Adeboye died without prior symptoms of sickness and was never on medication.
Dare who pastored one of the RCCG branches in Abuja was said to have officiated on Sunday and retired to his bed after church. He reportedly warned that he should not be disturbed during his rest.
Naija News understands that Adeboye passed away at the age of 42.
6. 2023 General Elections Must Birth New Federation — Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asked leaders to ensure the 2023 general elections birth the emergence of a new federation in the country.
He stated this while speaking at his Penthouse residence, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, when he played host to members of Tiv professionals Group (TPG) led by Prof Zacharys Anger Gundu.
The former president said the failure to birth a new federation in 2023 will cause the country to “slide into ground dissolution.”
Obasanjo has kicked against the calls for Nigeria’s break-up by some groups in the country, asking those calling for the division in Nigeria should think about the interest of the minority ethnic groups.
7. APC Senators Knock PDP Over Position On Insecurity, Economy
The Senate Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the claim of the Minority Caucus of the National Assembly that President Muhammadu Buhari has been absent in securing the country.
Naija News reports that the Minority Caucus had at a news briefing on Tuesday, addressed by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, accused the APC-led Federal Government of alleged constitutional breaches.
Reacting to the allegations, Senate leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, said President Buhari is not absent from duty but in charge and working to overcome the myriad of challenges confronting the country.
Speaking at a news briefing after a meeting of APC senators in Abuja on Wednesday, Abdullahi dissociated the APC Caucus from “all and any inflammatory statements that appear to threaten the authority of the President and our party”.
The Senate leader noted that the APC lawmakers insisted that engaging in blame game and threats of invoking “constitutional measures” is “unwelcome”.
8. EFCC Arrests Nigerian Man Who Sells Human Organs To Foreigners
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a man in Port Harcourt for selling and buying human organs for trafficking to foreigners.
The man, identified as Ukaeje John Emeka (alias Dr. Phil Mark, Dr. Donald Phillip, Dr. Wesley David), was arrested on April 16, 2021 at Rumukparali, Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He is said to be the ring leader for a group of criminals involved in the trafficking of human organs. His arrest follows action taken by the EFCC operatives in Port Harcourt based on actionable intelligence.
According to the anti-graft agency, Emeka and his team falsely present themselves to the unsuspecting public as medical doctors with a human organ bank, particularly kidneys for sale and purchase.
They harvest their organs from both people with renal disease and even healthy people desirous of selling their organs in Nigeria; India; Pakistan; Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.
9. NECO Releases 2020 SSCE Results
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the 2020 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results for its external candidates.
A statement issued by Head, Information and Public Relations Division of NECO, Azeez Sani, said 26,277 out of the 39,503 candidates who sat for the examination obtained five credits and above including in English Language and Mathematics.
Sani noted that the board’s Registrar, Prof Godswill Obioma, disclosed this at the council headquarters in Minna, Niger State on Thursday.
The council spokesman stated that 41,459 candidates registered out of which 39,503 actually sat for the examination, adding that 6,465 cases of examination malpractices were recorded in 2020 as against 17,004 cases in 2019.
Sani quoted Obioma as attributing the reduction in cases to the result of deepening monitoring of the examination by members of the governing board, management, and senior staff of the council.
10. FIFA Postpones 2022 World Cup Qualifiers In Africa
The 2022 World Cup qualifiers game has been rescheduled, FIFA announced. This was confirmed by FIFIA in a statement released on Thursday, May 6.
Naija News reports that the game earlier scheduled for June has been rescheduled to commence in September due to the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic and stadiums not meeting international standards.
The statement revealed that there will now be double matchdays in September, October, and November with the 10 group winners advancing to the final round next March. Africa has been allocated five places at the 32-nation tournament in Qatar, which has been moved from its traditional mid-year setting to November and December because of extreme summer heat.