Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Thursday, 27th May 2021
1. Attahiru’s Burial Absence: Buhari Hates Causing Traffic – Garba Shehu
The presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, has attempted to defend President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence at the burial of General Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff, and 10 other military officers.
Naija News reports that Attahiru and the other military officers had died when their plane crashed in Kaduna State.
The absence of Buhari nor Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the funeral drew widespread condemnation from a cross-section of Nigerians.
Defending Buhari’s absence in an interview with Arise TV on Wednesday, Garba Shehu said the president hates causing gridlock with closing down roads.
The presidential aide who admitted that he has not discussed the issue with Buhari cited the instance of the president observing Juma’at at Aso Rock in order to avoid closure of roads.
2. FG Lied, Ibori’s £4.2 Million Loot Not With Delta Yet – Okowa
The Delta state government has denied reports that the £4.2 million recovered from former Gov. James Ibori has been returned to the state.
Naija News recalls that Nigeria’s Accountant-General, Ahmed Idris, had claimed that the federal government has returned the £4.2 million Ibori loot repatriated from the United Kingdom to the Delta state government.
He stated this on Tuesday while addressing the Abuja House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Assessment and Status of All Recovered Loots Movable and Immovable Assets from 2002 to 2020 by Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria for Effective Efficient Management and Utilisation.
Reacting in a statement on Wednesday through his Chief Press Secretary, Olisa Ifeajika, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, said the recovered loot had not arrived in the state coffers.
He said the state government was in contact with the federal government, especially the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, on the issue.
Okowa however expressed appreciation for the disposition of the federal government in releasing the funds to the state, and assured that it would acknowledge receipt of the funds when it arrives.
3. El-Rufai Sacks 19 Political Appointees
The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday, relieved nineteen political appointees of their duties.
The El-Rufai-led government disclosed that the development is the first phase of political appointees to be sacked.
The Kaduna Government has been called out by Nigerians for sacking thousands of civil servants due to his policy.
The state government which had defended its policy noted that it would not continue to pay over 80 percent of its allocation from the federation account to civil servants and assured that the political appointees will also be affected in the exercise.
Among the political appointees affected by the disengagement are the Deputy Chief of Staff and two special advisers.
El-Rufai in a post on Twitter appreciated the officials for their to the state and wished them well in their future endeavours.
4. Nigerians To Pay More For Bread, Biscuit As Bakers Announce 30% Increase
The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN) has instructed its members to increase the price of bread, biscuits, and other items by 30 percent.
Explaining the reason for the price increase, the association of master bakers said the increase in prices of costs of production including sugar, butter, yeast, and flour as well as worsening economic situations in the country is responsible for the directive.
The association in a statement by its National President, Mansur Umar at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja. explained that “After considering the impact of the skyrocketed prices of baking ingredients/materials, for the survival of our noble business, which is presently bleeding, the association came to the conclusion to adjust our prices by 30 percent.”
5. I Will Curse Politicians Frustrating Yoruba Nation – Gani Adams
The Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, on Tuesday threatened that he would place a curse on politicians frustrating the struggle for the Yoruba nation.
Adams noted that some political office holders in the region have infiltrated the struggle for the actualisation of the Yoruba nation.
The former OPC leader stated this at the weekly O’odua Peoples Congress Stakeholders meeting, held at the Oodua House in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday.
The Aare accused some prominent politicians, including someone he referred to as “our senior brother in Lagos”.
6. Malami In ‘Fresh Trouble’, Accused Of Collecting N2bn Illegally By House Of Reps From Recovered Loots
The House of Representatives has accused the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami of receiving N2 billion illegally from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the prosecution of terror suspects.
When asked by the House ad hoc committee probing the status of the recovered loots, Malami didn’t deny receiving the said money from the CBN but disagreed with requesting specific payment from looted funds.
The interaction happened on Tuesday during a sitting by the House Adhoc committee probing the status of recovered loot in the country.
The lawmakers tackled the Minister for requesting such payments adding that it wasn’t part of budgetary funds approved for him.
But Malami in his response and defence, said he has no control over where such funds originate from as it is the responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Finance to do such.
7. Accountant General Backtracks, Says FG Yet To Return Ibori Loot To Delta State
The Accountant General of the Federation Ahmed Idris has recanted his words, noting that the federal government is yet to return the Ibori loot to the Delta State government.
The Accountant General backtracked in a statement from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) on Wednesday signed by the Director (Information, Press and Public Relations), Henshaw Ogubike.
This comes few hours after Naija News had reported that Idris claimed that the federal government has returned the £4.2 million Ibori loot repatriated from the United Kingdom to the Delta state government.
However, the Delta state government has denied reports that the £4.2 million recovered from former Gov. James Ibori has been returned to the state after which the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) issued a statement on Wednesday.
8. Minister Sunday Dare Reacts As House Of Reps Move To Scrap NYSC Scheme
The Minister of Youths and Sports in Nigeria, Sunday Dare has declared that the federal government does not have any plan to scrap the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
This is as he vowed that the Nigerian government will stand with the youths.
The Minister made the submission in a statement on Wednesday morning in which he reacted to the bill currently before the House of Representatives which seeks to scrap the NYSC scheme.
It will be recalled as earlier reported by Naija News that the bill sponsored by Hon. Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante, the Member Representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers State is ready for second reading in the House of Reps.
However, Dare said the government remains committed to sustaining the NYSC scheme.
9. Seun Kuti ‘Exposes’ Those Giving Guns To Bandits
The youngest son of legendary singer, Fela Kuti, popularly known as Seun Kuti has stated that the Nigerian politicians are the ones giving guns to the bandit currently terrorizing the country.
The singer made this known via his Instagram page, where he noted that Banditry would stop when election approaches as that is when the bandits will be used as thugs by the politicians.
He also added that if Nigerians want banditry to end, they should seek out for all the politicians in the country, making them write down an a’ list of people they have given guns to’ so that the weapons can be retrieved.
10. Presidency Speaks On Shoot-on-sight Order Against Igbo
The Presidency has denied the rumour of a shoot-on-sight order given by President Muhammadu Buhari against the people of the South East.
In an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said he was not aware of any shoot-on-sight order against Igbo.
He, however, noted that the rumour is meant to provoke unnecessary public anger and cause disunity in the country.
Speaking on calls for state policing, Shehu said the president was initially concerned that governors who are unable to pay salaries to their workers want to give guns to police set up by them.
He noted that if it is what Nigerians want, the president would have no option but to support it.
Shehu added that implementing state policing will require amending the 1999 Constitution, and Buhari has never rejected constitution amendments.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
The article was originally published on Nigeria News