Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Saturday, 1st May 2021.
1. Fr Mbaka Allegedly Asks Buhari For Contracts But Was Snubbed
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, has alleged that prominent Christian clergy, Fr. Ejike Mbaka, asked his principal (Buhari) for contracts but was snubbed.
The presidential aide while reacting to the call by the Spiritual leader of the Adoration Ministry to President Buhari to resign his position or be impeached, said Mbaka once brought three contractors to the president but Buhari insisted that due process must be followed.
“Father Mbaka is everything apart form what he claims to be… an outsider distilling the avalanche of verbiage will be surprised that after supporting the President two times to win the Presidency, Father Mbaka has made a complete U-Turn, preposterously asking President Buhari to resign or be impeached,” Shehu claimed in a statement released on Friday, April 30.
2. Niger State Communities Negotiate N20m ‘Peace Deal’ With Boko Haram
Some communities in Niger State have reportedly signed a N20m peace deal with members of the Boko Haram terrorist group for the insurgents to avoid their communities.
This is also as some earlier reports claim that the terrorists have imposed taxes on residents of Shiroro local government area of the state.
It will be recalled that a few days ago, Naija News reported that the Niger State Governor himself, Abubakar Sanni Bello cried out that Boko Haram insurgents hoisted their flag in Kaure village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
He made the revelation when he visited the Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) Camp at the IBB Primary School near the Palace of Emir of Minna.
3. Buhari: We Will Expose You – APC Threatens Father Mbaka
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has admonished the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka to focus on his spiritual calling and leave politics for the politicians.
The APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena made the call on Friday in a reaction to Mbaka’s call for President Muhammadu Buhari to resign over the growing insecurity in Nigeria.
It will be recalled that Mbaka earlier noted that President Buhari has failed the country woefully, hence he should resign or face impeachment.
However, Nabena submitted on Friday that Mbaka shouldn’t be making such statements capable of destabilizing the country.
4. President Buhari Holds Security Meeting With Service Chiefs, Others
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday presided over a security meeting at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The meeting had in attendance Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, the President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
Others in attendance include Ministers, the nation’s service chiefs, the acting Inspector-General of Police, and other top security chiefs.
The meeting comes at a time when there have been growing concerns about the rising cases of insecurity in the country.
5. Buhari Is Ready To Tackle Insecurity – NSA
The National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen Babagana Munguno, on Friday, noted that President Muhammadu Buhari is set to tackle security challenges in the country.
Monguno disclosed the development in a statement released after meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (retd.); and National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno (retd.), attended the meeting with the President.
Others were the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff; Lieutenant-General Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff; Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amoo; and the acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba.
6. Insecurity: IGP Redeploys Police Commanders In South-East
The acting Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, on Friday posted Christopher Owolabi as the new Commissioner of Police in charge of Anambra State Police Command.
Baba took the decision to overhaul the security structure in the South-East amid rising security crisis in the region.
A statement on the Twitter handle of the Nigeria Police Force revealed that “the deployment of the new CP is part of the ongoing efforts at re-ordering, overhauling and strengthening the security and policing architecture in Anambra State and other States of the South-East and South-South geo-political zones of the country.
“This is ultimately designed to improve the operational efficiency of the commands and enhance public safety and security. CP Chris Owolabi takes over from CP Monday Bala Kuryas, fsi who has been redeployed to the Anti-Fraud Section of the Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos.”
7. Invite Akpabio For Questioning Over Terrorism – PDP Charges DSS
The Department of State Service, has been called on by the Peoples Democratic Party to invite the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, for questioning.
The PDP said the DSS should ask Akpabio to “name politicians in the All Progressives Congress that are behind the acts of terrorism and banditry ravaging our nation.”
According to the party, “there is self-professed evidence that Senator Akpabio is privy to certain terrorism-related information which he must be made to share with the DSS as well as other security agencies.”
The party said this in a statement issued on Friday titled, ‘Terrorism: Invite Akpabio for Questioning, PDP Urges DSS.’
8. Buhari Approves New Minimum Wage For Pensioners
All pensioners starting from May 2021 will start enjoying a new minimum wage, Naija News reports.
Naija News reports that the payment of the consequential adjustment under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) in line with the minimum wage approved in 2019 was consented to on Friday (today) by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The development which was confirmed to newsmen in Abuja earlier by Dr Chioma Ejikeme, the Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), revealed that that the approval means the PTAD had been empowered to start the upward adjustment of all pensioners’ benefits.
9. Secondus Sues Afegbua, Demands N1bn From Ex-Oshiomhole’s Aide
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, has sued a former spokesman for the party’s Presidential Campaign Council, Kassim Afegbua, for defamation of character.
Recall that Afegbua had dragged Secondus before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practice and Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) over the management of the finances of the party.
Afegbua alleged that much of the financial transactions of the PDP under Secondus have been shrouded in mystery and accused the leadership of a deliberate attempt to short-change the party in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.
10. Big Brother Announces Date For Season 6 Audition, Lists Criteria
The Organizers of the Big Brother Naija reality show has announced a new date for season 6 audition.
The reality show in a post on it Twitter account noted that the auditioning for the show would commence from 3rd to 16th of May 2021.
Nigerians who are interested in the show are expected to log on to AfricaMagic.tv/bbaudtion, upload a 2 minute video introducing themselves, telling Big Brother why they should be in the house this season.