Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Friday, 29th January 2021
1. Only 12 Countries More Corrupt Than Nigeria In Africa – Transparency International
Transparency International (TI) in its 2020 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has ranked Nigeria as the second most corrupt country in West Africa.
The report also rates only 12 countries as more corrupt than Nigeria in the whole of Africa with Nigeria occupying 149th position out of 180 countries of the world analyzed in the report.
The countries listed as more corrupt in the latest report are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Chad, Eritrea, Burundi, Congo, Guinea Bissau, and South Sudan.
According to the TI report, with 25 out of 100 points, Nigeria also dropped two places compared to the 2019 report where it scored 26 points and ranked 146th out of 180 nations and Nigeria’s ranking on the corruption perception index has continued to drop in the last four years.
2. “Your Silence Is Criminal” – Lamido Blasts Tinubu, Others Over Silence On Herdsmen Crisis
A former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido has lashed out at some politicians from the southern part of the country over their perceived silence on the issues of Fulani herdsmen in the country.
He noted that the silence of some of these leaders is having a negative effect on the labelling and ethnic profiling which has made some Nigerians label all Fulani herdsmen as criminals.
He added that these leaders have benefitted from the current government headed by a Fulani man but have failed to speak out in defence of the government they helped put in place, noting that their silence is criminal.
Lamido while speaking with newsmen in Kano, specifically called out the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu
3. Host Communities Throw Punches Over PIB During Meeting With Reps
The public hearing on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) hosted by the National Assembly on Thursday ended abruptly as members of the host community threw punches.
Reports reaching Naija News confirmed that there were disagreements during the meeting organized by the House of Representatives on PIB matters.
PUNCH reports that the physical combat started when the host communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas was called to the podium to make a presentation on who should represent the areas.
4. ‘Be Careful So Politicians Do Not Hijack Your Motive’ – Ooni Urges Igboho
Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has been advised by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, not to take laws into his hands.
The monarch who commended Igboho for his stand against crime urged him to allow the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, take charge and handle the security challenges in the state.
Oba Ogunwusi while speaking on Arise TV on Wednesday said, “Let us be very objective. He (Igboho) is being a mouthpiece for the downtrodden. He came up and everybody is listening now but my advice to him as a traditional ruler is that he needs to be very careful so that the politicians won’t hijack the whole motive from him.”
5. 384 Nigerians Evacuated From UAE Arrive Abuja
384 Nigerians stranded in the United Arab Emirates have arrived in Abuja on Thursday, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has announced.
In a tweet via its Twitter handle on Thursday, NIDCOM said the returnees are part of the 802 Nigerians stranded in UAE over expired visas.
The commission said out of the 384 returnees, 300 are males while 83 are females with one infant whose gender the Commission didn’t disclose.
6. Ekiti Police Commissioner Insists On Sack Of Pregnant Policewoman As IGP Orders Investigation
The Ekiti State Police Commissioner, Babatunde Mobayo has insisted that the sack of Police Constable, Miss Olajide Omolola, for getting pregnant in service without due authorization followed due process.
Mobayo while speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Thursday submitted that Omolola violated section 127 of the police regulation, and her sack is based on the provision of the law.
He disclosed that after police school training, a police woman must pass through post-training experience on the field for at least two years before marriage and three years before childbearing.
7. I Lost Seven Men, N500m To Sunday Igboho’s Invasion- Seriki Fulani
The Seriki Fulani of Igangan, Alhaji Salihu Abdulkadir, has revealed how much he lost to the invasion of the Fulani settlement by popular Yoruba rights activist, Sunday ‘Igboho’ Adeyemo and his supporters recently.
Addressing reporters in Ilorin, Kwara state on Thursday, Abdulkadir denied complicity in some of the alleged kidnapping incidents in the area.
He also refuted being an accomplice in the killing of an indigene of the town, Dr Fatai Aborode, who was gruesomely murdered by suspected herdsmen.
8. Attahiru Resumes As Chief Of Army Staff, Shuns N/Assembly Confirmation
Major General Ibrahim Attahiru has officially resumed as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), thereby shunning the confirmation of his appointment by the National Assembly.
Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai handed over to Attahiru on Thursday.
During the ceremony at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, Buratai urged military officers to cooperate with Attahiru.
9. Boko Haram: Shekau Mocks New Service Chiefs, Tells Them To Join Him
Leader of the Boko Haram Terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau has reacted to the appointment of new service chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Boko Haram factional leader in the nine minutes, 56 seconds-long clip mocked the newly appointed military chiefs, telling them they can’t perform better than their predecessors.
He called on those of them that are not Muslims to convert to Islam and warned those who are already Muslims not to think they will be able to do anything against him because their own version of Islam is ‘fake.’
10. Lagos Restricts Trucks On Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Others
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has restricted truck drivers from plying some routes in the state, including the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
Naija News reports that this was announced in a statement on Thursday by Gboyega Akosile, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
The Lagos government stated that truck drivers would now ply routes in the state only between 9pm and 6am daily.