Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Thursday, 8th April 2021
1. Osinbajo Decorates Usman Alkali Baba As New IGP
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday, decorated Usman Alkali Baba with his new rank as the Inspector-General of Police.
The decoration was done at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja, Naija News understands.
It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, approved the appointment of Baba as the new acting Inspector-General of Police to take over from Mohammed Adamu.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi conveyed the decision of the president to the public while addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He noted that the appointment was with immediate effect.
Until his appointment, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba was a Deputy Inspector-General, DIG of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Force Headquarters.
2. Buhari Reacts To Emergence Of New Olu Of Warri
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Itsekiri nation on the announcement of a new Olu of Warri, Prince Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko.
In a message to the Itsekiri on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari urged the Itsekiri nation to reconcile after the announcement of a new Olu of Warri-designate.
Buhari prayed for a peaceful reign under Olu of Warri-designate and urged the Itsekiri nation to love one another, reconcile and unite after a pulsating race for the throne.
3. Centralized Policing System Not Working – Oyetola
The Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, on Wednesday, noted that the centralized policing system in Nigeria is not working, hence should be decentralized.
Oyetola while speaking on the efforts of the Federal Government to create community policing said it is inadequate as it is still managed from the center.
He added that the constitution which assigns state governor as the Chief Security Officers should also grant them the empowerment and control of the security agencies so that they can perform their responsibilities effectively.
Oyetola spoke in Abuja at the 2nd Annual Colloquium of the Sultan Maccido Institute for Peace, Leadership and Development Studies, University of Abuja.
4. Adamu Hands Over To Acting IGP Usman Alkali Baba
The former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Wednesday handed over to Usman Alkali Baba as the Acting Inspector General of Police.
Naija News learnt that Adamu handed over to Baba at the Force Headquarters in Abuja after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had decorated him with his new rank as the Inspector-General of Police.
The decoration was done at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.
5. 2023: Afenifere Denies Endorsing Tinubu For President
Top Yoruba socio-cultural and political group, Afenifere has denied endorsing the 2023 presidential ambition of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The group added that apart from Tinubu, it has also not endorsed any aspirant for the 2023 presidential race.
Afenifere Director of Communications, Sola Lawal made the stand of the group known in a statement on Wednesday titled ‘Afenifere denies endorsing presidential aspirant.’
He spoke on the heels of a statement credited to the leader of South West Agenda, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, in which he alleged that Afenifere has qued behind Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition.
He claimed this happened n Tuesday during a visit to Pa Ruben Fasoranti, the former Afenifere leader.
However, Lawal in a quick refutal, said Pa Fsoranti couldn’t have spoken on behalf of Afenifere since he has already handed over the reins of leadership to another person after about twelve years of honourable service.
6. Ondo: Akeredolu Suspends NURTW Indefinitely Over Violent Clash
The Ondo State Government has ordered the indefinite suspension of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu gave the order in a statement on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy, Dr Doyin Odebowale.
According to Akeredolu, the union was suspended indefinitely following a violent clash between factions of the union which led to attacks on members and innocent citizens in the state on Tuesday.
The governor ordered the NURTW members to immediately vacate all motor parks across the state, describing the bloody clash as unruly and an uncultured behaviour of the leaders of the Union.
Akeredolu, however, noted that the suspension does not affect members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN.
7. Shoprite Fixes Date To Leave Nigeria
South African Company, Shoprite Holdings Limited has stated that it is set to conclude the sale of its Nigerian outlets, which it expects to be concluded by the end of the year.
Naija News reports that this was made known by Shoprite in its latest financial report for December 2020 operations on its website.
According to the company, it will shut down operations in the country by disposing a 100 percent equity stake in its Nigerian retail supermarkets.
Shoprite said it was awaiting approval from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission after lodging the transaction with the commission.
According to the company, the management expects the transaction to be approved by the end of the 2021 financial year.
8. NCDC Confirms Outbreak Of ‘Bird Flu’ In 7 Northern States
The Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu has confirmed bird flu attack on seven states in the northern region of the country.
The NCDC DG while speaking in an interview on Tuesday, April 6 with the News Agency of Nigeria, revealed that the infectious disease has spread across seven states in the north which includes Kano, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger State.
Providing highlights of the epidemiological situation and response activities in Nigeria, Ihekweazu confirmed that human cases of Avian Influenza H5N1 also called ‘Bird flu’ has been recorded in the states.
Naija News understands that Avian Influenza is a strain of the influenza virus that primarily infect birds, but can also infect humans.
9. Afaka: Nigerian Army Reveals Names Of 5 Kaduna Students Rescued
The Nigerian Army has disclosed the names of five of the students of the College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna who were rescued from their kidnappers on Monday.
The names were revealed in a statement on Wednesday by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima.
It will be recalled that Naija News had reported that the Kaduna State Government confirmed the release of five of the 39 kidnapped students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna State.
According to a statement on Monday released by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, the five students regained their freedom after 25 days in captivity after they were abducted on March 11.
The commissioner added that the five students were recovered by troops of the Nigerian Army on Monday afternoon.
Aruwan said the released students were undergoing a thorough medical check-up at a military facility.
Giving further updates on Wednesday, Yerima revealed the names of the rescued students as Abubakar Yakubu, Francis Paul, Obadiya Habakkuk, Amina Yusuf and Maryam Danladi.
10. Super Eagles Of Nigeria Move To Third Position In Latest FIFA Rankings
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are now the third-best team in Africa and also placed 32nd according to the latest global ranking released by world football governing body, FIFA.
The latest FIFA ranking list which was released on Wednesday, saw the Super Eagles of Nigeria move from 4th to 3rd position in Africa and from 36th to 32nd in the world.
It will be recalled that Nigeria recorded back-to-back wins in March against Benin Republic and Lesotho in the final rounds of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The Eagles defeated Benin Republic 1-0 in Porto-Novo and then trashed Lesotho 3-0 in Lagos to bok finish their AFCON qualifying games in style.
Meanwhile, the top two positions in Africa are occupied by Senegal and Tunisia respectively.