Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Wednesday, 13th March 2024
1. Tinubu Approves Appointment Of First FCT Head Of Service, 10 Perm Secs
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given his approval for the formation of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Civil Service Commission, as well as the appointment of Head of Service and ten Permanent Secretaries.
The development was announced in a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday by the Director of Press in the Office of the FCT Minister, Anthony Ogunleye.
Naija News recalls that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had previously written to the president to seek his approval for the nominees.
This approval is in line with the provisions of Section 2 (2) (a & b) of the Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission (Establishment) Act, 2018. This section states that a Chairman and six other members representing each of the geo-political zones of the country should be appointed.
The individuals appointed as Chairman and Commissioners of the FCT Civil Service Commission are as follows: Engr. Emeka Ezeh (Chairman), Hon. Ahmed Mohammed (North West), Chief Anthony Okeah (South-South), Mohammed Magaji Ibrahim (North East), Miskoom Alexander Naantuam (North Central), Hon. Jide Jimoh (South West), and Barr. Martin Azubike (South East).
2. Senate Suspends Abdul Ningi For Three Months Over 2024 Budget Padding Claim
The Senate has suspended the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central in the National Assembly, Senator Abdul Ningi, for three months from all legislative duties.
Ningi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was suspended during Tuesday’s plenary over allegations of padding of the 2024 budget.
A member of the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, first moved the motion for Ningi’s suspension for 12 months over allegations of criminal misinformation and breach of peace in the National Assembly and the country by extension.
However, other lawmakers like Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong and Musa Dani moved for the amendment of the motion by Ibrahim.
Ekpenyong, who is from Cross River South Senatorial District, prayed for the reduction of the suspension to six months, which was seconded by Senator Musa.
However, it was agreed that the Bauchi lawmaker would be suspended from the Senate for three months without pay, after which he was escorted out of the Red Chamber by the Sergeants-at-arm.
3. Atiku Abubakar Speaks On Leaving PDP, Forming Mega Party
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has rubbished reports claiming he is set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 elections.
The report claimed Atiku and some other politicians were planning to form a new party to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu.
However, Atiku in a personally signed statement on Tuesday made available to Naija News via his account on the X platform, said the reports are pure lies which should be disregarded by Nigerians.
While affirming his loyalty to the PDP, the former Vice President accused President Tinubu of pursuing a personal agenda with the story instead of focusing on governance.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the PDP added that those behind the story of him dumping the PDP are mischief makers, and there is no truth in the allegation.
4. No Worker Can Survive On A Salary Less Than N100,000 – Reps Caucus Leader, Chinda
House of Representatives opposition caucus leader, Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, has said that no worker in Nigeria can live on a monthly wage that is less than N100,000.
The Rivers State-born lawmaker, along with 41 lawmakers from the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, tabled the timely motion on the living wage last week.
Shedding more light on the motion at the resumed plenary on Tuesday, Chinda explained that lawmakers are pushing for a living wage because they are not happy with the situation in the country.
He lamented that the take-home pay of workers can no longer take the worker home.
5. Senate In Rowdy Session Over Disclosure Of N500 Million ‘Palliative’ For Senators
The Senate was thrown into a rowdy session following revelation of uneven distribution of federal government’s palliatives to senators for onward disbursement to their constituents.
The Red Chamber was debating on Tuesday the allegation made by the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Senator Abdul Ningi, during an interview with BBC Hausa that the 2024 budget was padded.
Ningi had claimed that a whopping N3.7 trillion was padded in the 2024 budget, causing an uproar among his fellow senators and sparking intense debates.
The session degenerated further into a rowdy session when Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe revealed that some senators were given N500 million as palliatives and constituency projects for their constituents while others got N200 million.
The lawmaker claimed that as a ranking Senator, he did not get any palliative for his constituents when the monies were shared.
6. House Of Reps Issues Banks New Directives On Customers’ Reversed Funds
The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, issued a directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), instructing it to ensure that commercial banks do not hold customers’ reversed funds beyond the timeline specified by the apex bank.
Naija News reports that the House’s decision came after it adopted a motion titled “Need to restrain commercial banks from holding funds reversal beyond the date prescribed by the Central Bank of Nigeria,” introduced by Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo, representing Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State.
The lawmaker pointed out that on June 8, 2020, the CBN issued a statement detailing timelines for reversals and resolution of refund complaints, which included Failed “On-Us” automated teller machines transactions being “instantly reversed from the current timeline of three days.”
He also noted that “Where instant reversal fails due to any technical issue or system glitch, the timeline for manual reversal shall not exceed 24 hours; refunds for failed ‘Not-on-US’ ATM transactions (where customers use their cards on other banks’ ATM) shall not exceed 4 per cent hours from the current 3-5 days.
“Resolution of disputed/failed POS or web transactions shall be concluded within 72 hours from the current five days,” stressing that “All banks are directed to resolve the backlog of all ATM, POS, and web customer refunds within two weeks starting June 8, 2020.”
In its resolution, the House called on the CBN to instruct banks to upgrade their systems to handle failed transactions without customers having to prompt them.
7. IGP Launches Special Intervention Squad In Kaduna Over Abduction Of 287 Pupils, Teachers
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has arrived in Kaduna State to assess the situation following the kidnap of 280 school children and teachers of the joint Government Secondary and LEA Primary School in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of the state.
On arrival, the Police boss was received by the Governor of the State, Uba Sani; the Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Liman; and other senior government officials at the Government House in Kaduna.
Egbetokun, thereafter, commiserated with the Governor and the people of Kaduna State over the sad incident.
Speaking during the meeting, the IGP announced the launch of the Special Intervention Squad of the Police in Kaduna state.
He mentioned that the initiative, initially planned for April, has been fast-tracked due to the unfortunate incidents of the kidnapping of students in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
The IGP further said the police will to adopt all strategies, including non-kinetic approaches, to ensure the safe rescue or release of the students.
8. Senator Ningi Resigns As Chairman Of The Northern Senators Forum
Bauchi Central Senator, Abdul Ningi, has stepped down as the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum.
His resignation from the position follows his earlier suspension on Tuesday by the Nigerian Senate over allegations of budget padding.
Ningi, in his resignation letter, said his decision is based on unfolding events in the National Assembly, the north and Nigeria at large.
The lawmaker, in a personally signed letter addressed to the forum secretary, said, “I will like to resign as chairman of the Northern Senators Forum. This is, of course, necessitated by unfolding events in the National Assembly, the North, and the Nation at large.
“I will like to specially thank members of the forum for the opportunity given to me for the last eight months to spearhead this very important forum.
“I believe this forum is very important and fundamental to the progress of northern Nigeria.”
9. Tinubu Appoints New NIMASA DG
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Dayo Mobereola as the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Naija News understands that Mobereola’s appointment is for a renewable term of four years.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement, disclosed that the appointment follows the exit of Bashir Jamoh, whose tenure recently expired.
Dr. Mobereola holds a Ph.D, and an M.Sc in Transport Economics from the University of Wales, United Kingdom. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport, England, and a fellow of the same institute in Nigeria.
He was the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) from 2003 to 2015 and was also the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos State from 2015 to 2016.
In the private sector, he was Deputy Managing Director and Project Development Director at AFM Consulting Plc, London. He was also Senior Economist at British Petroleum Shipping Limited, London.
10. Terrorists Launch Fresh Attack In Kaduna, Kidnap Scores
Around 61 individuals have been reportedly abducted in an unfortunate incident where suspected terrorists attacked the Buda community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Although the state government and police authorities have not yet confirmed the attack, a resident of the area reported that the bandits stormed the village late Monday night and whisked away their victims.
The resident who identified himself as Dauda Kajuru said the kidnappers arrived in large numbers and began firing indiscriminately.
Daily Post quoted the resident as saying the latest attack was truly terrifying.
According to him, the bandits had planned to abduct a significant number of people, surpassing even the count of school pupils in Kuriga Village of Chikun Local Government Area, but the swift response of soldiers, who were stationed less than 2 kilometres away from Kajuru, managed to limit the number of abductees.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
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