Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Thursday, 4th March 2021
1. Buhari Orders Soldiers, Police To Shoot Anyone Seen With AK-47
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday directed the Nigerian Army, Police and other security agencies to shoot anyone seen with AK-47.
Naija News reports that this was made known by the President’s media assistant, Garba Shehu, during an interview with the BBC.
Asked what efforts are being made to rid Zamfara and other northern states of bandits, Shehu said Buhari directed a clampdown on bandits who have refused to surrender.
“The president has ordered security forces to go into the bushes and shoot whoever they see with sophisticated weapons like AK-47,” he said.
“He ordered that whoever is seen with terrible weapons at all should be shot immediately.”
He said the federal government declared Zamfara a no-fly zone following intelligence that arms were being transported to the bandits with private jets.
2. North vs South: Northern Traders End Food Stuffs Blockade
The Leadership of Cattle and Foodstuff dealers under the aegis of the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria has agreed to resume the movement of food supplies from the north to the south.
Naija News gathered that the agreement was reached after a meeting between the trade union leadership and Governor Yahaya Bello in Abuja.
Recall that northern traders had about a week embarked on strike over the alleged killing of Fulani herdsmen in the southern part of the country.
3. Engage Services Of Mercenaries To End Insurgency, Zulum Tells Buhari
In order to win the fight against insurgency, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to engage the services mercenaries to end insurgency in the country.
Speaking at the North East Governors’ Forum held in Bauchi on Wednesday, Zulum also advised the President to seek help from neighbouring countries.
He, however, asked the federal government to be committed to ending this insurgency, noting that joint action is required to end the menace.
Zulum, who is also the Chairman of the forum, urged the newly appointed service chiefs to devise new strategies and initiatives in tackling insecurity in the country.
4. Boko Haram Releases Pastor It Threatened To Kill If Govt Fails To Pay Ransom
The dreaded Boko Haram terrorist group has released Pastor Bulus Yakuru, the pastor it threatened to kill if the government doesn’t pay a ransom within one week.
The cleric was said to have been released on Wednesday evening hours before the deadline given by the terrorists expired.
It will be recalled that Naija News previously reported that Boko Haram told the government last week that it had 7 days to pay a ransom for the pastor or he would be killed.
Yakuru was abducted in December 2020 when the insurgents attacked Pemi village, close to Chibok on the eve of Christmas in 2020.
5. Gov Makinde Speaks On Providing Fulani Herders With Land For Ranching
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said that the state will not release any part of its land for ranching by herders.
According to Makinde, he believes cattle breeding is a private business, noting that his government will only consider taking actions that are beneficial for the state.
Naija News understands that the governor stated this while giving clarification to a tweet in which he revealed that Oyo State will adopt the National Livestock Transformation Plan which is already being implemented in Kwara State.
6. Insecurity: Stop Endorsing Gumi With Your Silence – CAN Slams Buhari
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of supporting the position of Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi by keeping silent on remarks credited to the cleric.
CAN in a statement on Wednesday said the President should have called Gumi to order over his statement where he claimed Christian soldiers were the ones killing Muslim bandits and insurgents to cause problems in the country.
The Christian umbrella body also called on Gumi himself to withdraw his statement in the interest of peace and unity in the country.
CAN went ahead to describe the submissions by Gumi as “unpatriotic and divisive utterances.”
7. I Will Expose Cabal Behind Apapa Gridlock If… – Sanwo-Olu
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has vowed to expose the cabal behind the Apapa gridlock if they continue to sabotage the effort of the state government at ensuring a free flow of traffic in the axis.
He said this on Wednesday when he unveiled the reconfigured Abraham Adesanya, Second and First Roundabouts on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said his administration is committed to ridding the Apapa axis of gridlocks and achieving a greater Lagos.
He read the riot act to people bent on causing traffic on Apapa road, adding that the electronic -call-up system of trucks introduced by the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), last weekend, has reduced traffic drastically at the Apapa port.
8. We Know Those Profiting From Insecurity – Monguno
The Federal Government has said that it has intelligence reports on some Nigerians profiting from insecurity in the country.
National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, disclosed this on Tuesday after the National Security Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Monguno noted that some prominent people are profiting and taking advantage of the security challenges facing the country.
He said the government will not tolerate the situation, warning anyone stoking violence in any part of the country to desist or regret their actions.
The NSA, however, revealed that some non-state-actors have been placed under surveillance by the intelligence agencies.
9. ‘#EndSARS Protesters’ Stole $2m, N17m From Me – Oba Akiolu
Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu on Wednesday disclosed that the #EndSARS protesters who stormed his palace last year allegedly stole his $2 million and N17 million.
Naija News reports that the Oba of Lagos made this known while speaking at the Glover Hall Memorial Commissioning, Lagos on Wednesday.
Akiolu told the people present at the event that he wanted to say it publicly that #EndSARS protesters stole $2 million and N17 million in his palace.
10. Why Buhari Should Extend Flight Ban To Benue, Taraba, Borno – ACF
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare more parts of the country currently being attacked by bandits and Boko Haram “a no flying zone”.
Recall that Buhari, on Tuesday, declared Zamfara a ‘no-fly zone’ and banned all mining activities in the state.
The National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen Babagaba Monguno, while announcing the development in Abuja noted that it is part of the measures to tackle the security challenges in the north-western state.
Monguno disclosed this after a five-hour National Security Council meeting presided over by Buhari at the Presidential Villa in the nation’s capital.
A no-fly zone, also known as a no-flight zone, or air exclusion zone, is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly.
But in a statement to newsmen on Wednesday, the Chairman of the ACF, Audu Ogbeh said government should extend to states like Benue, Taraba, and Borno where there are rumors that helicopters frequently drop arms for bandits and insurgents.