Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Tuesday, 9th February 2021
1. I Never Paid N2bn For My Tenure Extension – IGP Adamu
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has denied media reports that he paid N2 billion for his tenure extension.
He gave the denial in a statement, signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, on Monday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
According to Mba, the media reports are untrue, unfounded, defamatory and libelous, adding that the fake news will not stop the police boss from going after criminal elements in the country.
2. Fani-Kayode Set To ‘Dump PDP For APC’
A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, is reportedly set to rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) six years after he left for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This was after meeting with the Chairman, Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, and Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello at a Guest House in Abuja.
The closed-door meeting, which lasted for about an hour, may not be unconnected with the alleged plans for the return of the former Minister to APC.
3. FG To Replace BVN With NIN
The Federal Government has stated that plans are ongoing to replace the Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) with the National Identity Numbers (NIN).
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr Isa Pantami, made this known to newsmen on Monday after a tour of telecoms operators and NIN licensees in Abuja.
Pantami who was accompanied by the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof Garba Danbatta, said President Muhammadu Buhari has been briefed on the on-going NIN registrations.
4. Senate To Debate Fulani Herdsmen Crisis Tuesday
The lawmaker representing Kebbi North Senatorial District, Yahaya Abdullahi, on Monday disclosed that the senate will discuss the issue of Fulani herdsmen crisis in Nigeria on Tuesday.
Abdullahi while speaking with newsmen noted that the lawmaker representing Ondo North in the Senate, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, will come up with a motion on the issue.
He further stated that President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has a role to play in resolving the crisis.
5. 13 UK Covid Variants Now In Nigeria – PTF
The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, on Monday, said 13 cases of the United Kingdom strain of the virus known as B117 have been discovered in Nigeria.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation stated this at the weekly press briefing of the PTF.
Mustapha said, “The PTF (through the NCDC) is working with the Africa CDC on genomic surveillance.”
“A total of 13 B117 variant strains have so far been detected in Nigeria.”
6. 2023: Four PDP Governors Join Fani-Kayode In Defection Plan To APC
Four governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as well as former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode are reportedly planning to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 elections.
The Governors have reportedly begun talks with the APC to make their defection easier.
As earlier reported by Naija News, Fani-Kayode, is reportedly set to rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) six years after he left for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This was after meeting with the Chairman, Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, and Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello at a Guest House in Abuja.
7. Killer Fulani Herdsmen Won’t Repent, I’ll Never Negotiate With Them – El-Rufai
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has said Fulani herdsmen making millions of naira from kidnapping will never repent and leave the forest.
Recall that renowned Islamic scholar, Shiekh Ahmad Gumi, who has been on a tour to various bandits enclave, had called on government to negotiate and grant amnesty to them.
But speaking to BBC Hausa on Monday, the Kaduna governor pointed out that his administration is at war with bandits and so cannot negotiate with them.
He said he would never forgive or compensate for bandits, stressing that elimination is the only solution to banditry in the region.
8. Winning Anambra Guber Election Critical To PDP – Wike
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has stated that winning the November governorship election in Anambra is critical to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He stated this while addressing PDP leaders in the southeast during a meeting held in Enugu on Monday to reconcile Anambra stakeholders ahead of the November election.
Wike advised the main opposition party to allow governors to supervise the conduct of congresses and governorship primary in the state.
9. Don’t Compare IPOB With Boko Haram, Nnamdi Kanu Warns Gumi
The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has warned popular Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, to desist from comparing members of the group with Boko Haram terrorists.
Gumi, in an interview with BBC Pidgin on Saturday, compared Biafra and Oduduwa Republic agitators to the Boko Haram terrorists, and described them as “miscreants”.
But in a statement on Monday by IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, the IPOB leader said it was insulting comparing freedom fighters with insurgents.
Kanu accused the cleric of being one of the hardened supporters of terrorism, stressing the statement, if true, had exposed Gumi’s real identity.
10. Insecurity: ‘Don’t Interrupt Others If You Can’t Protect Your Land’ – Shehu Sani
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani has called out people interrupting efforts by residents in some part of the Northern Region in the fight against banditry.
The former lawmaker in a post on his verified Twitter account on Monday, February 8, lamented over the spate of insecurity in the North, most especially in the rural north-west.
According to him, sometimes it takes days to find corpses of those killed by the bandits who go about on motorcycles to set villages on fire, rape, and kill innocent citizens.