Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Friday, 30th April 2021
1. Buhari Disappointed In Ortom, Blasts The Benue State Governor
President Muhammadu Buhari has lambasted Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom after the Governor called out the President for the way he is handling the nation’s security challenges.
The President accused Ortom of seeing what is wrong with others but failing to deal with his own problems.
He accused Ortom of attempting to cause more divide along ethnic, political, and religious divides rather than cooperate with the federal government to implement ideas and solutions.
Buhari made the submission in a statement released by his spokesman Garba Shehu titled: “GOVERNOR ORTOM ONLY SEES THE PROBLEMS OF OTHERS, HE DOESN’T SEE HIS OWN”.
It will be recalled that Governor Ortom while reacting to the recent killing of 70 people in Benue State had said President Buhari is acting aloof and tactically supporting the herdsmen to kill other people.
Ortom also urged Buhari to declare a state of emergency and address Nigerians over the increasing cases of insecurity including kidnappings, banditry and other criminal activities rocking the country.
But in a response to the call out by the Benue State Governor, President Buhari lashed at Ortom, accusing him of falling short of expectation as a leader.
2. Resign Now Or Be Impeached – Fr Mbaka Tells Buhari
The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry in Enugu, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, has called for President Muhammadu Buhari to be impeached due to the increase in security challenges in Nigeria.
The cleric in a statement noted that President Buhari has failed the country woefully, hence he should resign now.
Mbaka while speaking at the Adoration Ministry in Enugu, wondered why Buhari has remained silent despite the incessant killings in the country.
According to the cleric, Nigerians are crying because they don’t have a leader and Buhari should resign or be impeached.
He also warned those who will attack him to desist, if not, they will face God’s wrath.
3. Some Preachers Have Become Part Of Nigeria’s Problem – Adesina
The special adviser on media and publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina on Thursday said some preachers see nothing good about Nigeria.
He alleged that such clerics are part of the country’s problems because they always say and project negative images about Nigeria.
Naija News reports Adesina made the submission in an article titled; “Nigeria will fly again: we can believe Kumuyi” in which he commended the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi for being optimistic about Nigeria despite the current challenges.
The presidential media aide commended Pastor Kumuyi for departing from making negative confessions about Nigeria and wondered why other preachers are always attacking the leaders of the country.
4. Jerry Gana Speaks On Alleged Link With Boko Haram Founder, Mohammed Yusuf
Former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, on Thursday denied any link with late Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf.
Gana in a statement released through his media aide, Adakole Ijogi, noted that the allegation was first levelled against him over a decade ago.
According to him, the deceased was granted bail in an open court that sat in Abuja in 2008/2009.
He further stated that one Ahmed Ibrahim Suleiman, then an Officer in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, stood surety for Yusuf “as contained in the attached bail document”.
Gana added that those behind the allegations are trying to destroy his integrity and his hard earned reputation as “an accomplished and upright statesman”.
5. Tinubu Laments Over Security Challenges Across Nigeria
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has lamented over the recent attack on Borno, Yobe, Benue, Niger, Imo and other parts of the country.
The former Governor of Lagos in a Twitter post on Thursday said the attacks have affected the military and security forces in the country.
Tinubu called on Nigerians not to play the blame game, but work together against the enemy because “discord will only invite defeat.”
6. Amend Nigeria’s Constitution, Make LGAs Independent – Jonathan
Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has submitted that if he were part of the National Assembly, he would have pushed for the amendment of the constitution to make Local Government Areas (LGAs) strong and autonomous.
He also condemned the situation where most local governments operate like an administrative extension of the state governors and the officials become like aides of the governors.
He made the submission on Thursday when he played host to the national and state executives of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) who visited him in his country home, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.
Jonathan was of the opinion that state governors need to desist from directly influencing and controlling the activities of local government so as to allow such growth and closeness to the people at the grassroots.
He agreed with the NULGE officials who pleaded with him to help stop a bill seeking to delist the LGA structure from the 1999 Constitution.
7. Boko Haram: Shekau Kills Own Commander, Appoints New One
The factional leader of the Boko Haram terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau has appointed Abu Muhammad as the new commander of the group.
This follows the killing of the former Commander, Abu Fatim by the leader for alleged betrayal.
Naija News gathered that Shekau shot and killed Fatim himself and two other commanders over an internal dispute relating to their loyalty to the sect.
A source quoted by PR Nigeria disclosed on Thursday, April 29, 2021, that two other senior Commanders were also eliminated by the ‘daredevil’ Shekau.
8. Lagos JUSUN Suspends Strike
Lagos State Judicial workers have resumed full duty after a 23-day strike to press home demand for financial autonomy for the judiciary.
Their resumption followed a directive by the Administrative Department of the Lagos State Judiciary.
It was gathered that courts are yet to begin sitting despite all departments of the state judiciary being opened.
Recall that JUSUN commenced a nationwide strike on Tuesday, April 6, when it directed all its members across the federation to shut down all courts after the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum earlier given over the failure of the government to implement the financial autonomy of the judiciary.
The union is demanding financial autonomy of the judiciary, especially at the state level where the governors have deliberately denied the judiciary access to their fund in gross disregard to Section 121 subsection 3 of the 1999 Constitution.
9. Insecurity: Wike Imposes Dusk-to-Dawn Curfew In Rivers
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state due to rising insecurity.
In a statewide broadcast on Thursday, the governor said the decision was taken after an exhaustive deliberation by the state security council at the government house in Port Harcourt.
The governor noted that the curfew is with immediate effect from 10 pm to 6 am. On Wednesday, the governor had imposed a night curfew in all the state’s land borders.
In a statement by his media, Kelvin Ebiri, Governor Wike said the council decided to review the present security situation following the recent murderous attacks on security personnel in Ikwerre and Abua/Odual Local Government Areas.
He said there are possibilities of further deadly attacks on hard and soft targets across the state, hence the measure to secure the state and guarantee the protection of lives and property.
10. Mastermind Of Kankara Abduction Makes U-Turn, Returns To Forest
The mastermind of over 300 student’s abduction in Kankara, Katsina State, Auwal Daudawa, has returned back to the forest, less than three months after his repentance.
The development was confirmed by a security source and two others sources close to the bandits, Daily Trust claims.
It was gathered that Daudawa has relocated to one of the forests, near the border with Katsina.
Daudawa coordinated the abduction of the students of Government Secondary School Kankara, on December 12, 2020.
Two months after the incident, Daudawa was paraded before the governor in Gusau, where he declared his repentance.
The bandit leader and five of his lieutenants surrendered 20 AK 47 rifles, ammunition and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, during the ceremony.
Sources disclosed that the bandit packed out his family and his lieutenants back to Jaja forest in Zurmi Local Government on Monday.