Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 14th September 2021
1. Soldiers Killed As Gunmen Invade Kogi Prison, Set Inmates Free
Unknown gunmen have attacked the Federal Correctional Centre in Kabba in Kogi State, freeing hundreds of inmates in the process.
It was reported that the gunmen killed some soldiers who mounted a barricade in the area, and killed the officers at the prison gate before invading the facility on Sunday night.
According to information gathered, an early Monday morning downpour aided the escape of the inmates.
However, officials of the correction facility have arrested about 100 of the inmates, while an unspecified number voluntarily returned.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the jailbreak in Kogi State on Monday moning.
2. ‘Stop Being Tribalistic’ – Presidency Knocks Wike Over Comment On VAT Saga
The Presidency has berated Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over his comment on the Value Added Tax (VAT) saga in the country.
Naija News recalls a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt while delivering judgment last month in a suit marked FHC/PH/CS/149/2020 ruled that the Rivers State Government had the powers to collect VAT within its territory.
Shortly after the ruling, Wike had accused the Federal Government of taking the money made in the oil-rich Niger Delta to the North, adding that Rivers money is not for Abuja people.
The Rivers governor declared that he would not hesitate to shout down the office of any oil company or other business outfit that continues to pay VAT to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) from September.
But in an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ on Monday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Ajuri Ngelale, accused Wike of being tribalistic, political and aggressive with his comments.
The presidential aide denied the claim made by the governor that the Federal Government has been taking the money made in the South-South to the North.
Ngelale also said that the government makes contributions to VAT generated in the country, noting that the 36 states do not generate VAT all by themselves.
3. Insecurity: Redouble Your Efforts, No More Excuses – COAS Tells Army Commanders
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya has stated that the Nigerian Army must go all out in dealing with terrorists and other criminals responsible for insecurity in the country.
This is as he charged them not to relent in their efforts irrespective of happenings and situations around them.
Specifically, he told the commanders and principal staff officers to ensure the success of all operations under their command as they remain pivotal to the general success of the Army, and no excuses under whatever guise will be accepted from them.
The COAS made the submission on Monday during his address at the opening ceremony of the Chief of Army Staff combined second and third quarter conference 2021.
4. 2023: Finally, APC Fixes Date For State Congresses
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced the date for its State Congresses across the country.
The National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, made this known in a terse statement in Abuja on Monday.
According to Akpanudoedehe, the state congresses has been slated for Saturday, October 2, 2021, adding that the party would commence the sale of nomination forms on Wednesday.
5. Don Reveals Names And Location Of 62 Bandit Terrorists Groups, 17 Top Leaders
A University lecturer, Dr. Murtala Ahmed Rufa’i, of the Department of History, Usman Danfodiyo University (UDUS), Sokoto has revealed the identities of some top bandit terrorists in Nigeria.
Apart from the individuals, he also unveiled 17 armed groups led by some of the bandits’ leaders scattered across various parts of Nigeria.
The unveiling, based on many years of research was disclosed during his public lecture in a paper titled ‘I am a bandit: A decade of research in Zamfara State Bandit’s Den’ at the UDUS’ auditorium.
Naija News reports he gave the lecture last Thursday.
Tracing the historical growth of the activities of bandits in Nigeria, Rufa’i said their activities date back to many years but began to gain prominence in Zamfara around 2011.
6. Kogi Jailbreak: FG Activates Special Task Force To Re-arrest Inmates
The Federal Government has reacted to the attack on the Medium Security Correctional Centre in the Kabba area of Kogi State.
Naija News earlier reported that unknown gunmen attacked the federal facility on Sunday night, releasing about 240 inmates in the process.
The gunmen killed two soldiers who mounted a barricade in the area and injured some prison officials before invading the facility.
Reacting to the attack on the facility on Monday, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, stated that a Special Task Force has been activated to recapture inmates who fled from the facility.
Aregbesola, in a statement on Monday by his spokesman, Sola Fasure, said that some of the inmates who earlier fled have been arrested while others returned to the facility on their own.
The minister added that International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) has been immediately contacted to look out for any of the inmates who may attempt to flee the country.
7. Bandit Terrorists Release 75 School Students In Zamfara
Bandit terrorists have released seventy-five students of Government Day Secondary School, Kaya, in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The pupils were abducted by the terrorists during an invasion of their school on September 1, 2021.
The development was confirmed by NTA in a post on their Facebook account on Sunday night.
8. Group Pressures World Leaders, UN For Referendum, New Constitution In Nigeria
A group, Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS) has called on the United Nations to supervise the conduct of referendums in the Middle Belt and southern parts of Nigeria for the people to decide on what they want for their nationhood.
The Prof Banji Akintoye-led group is also demanding an end to the genocide being perpetrated by murderous herdsmen in the name of cattle grazing and to demand the rejection of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Monday by its spokesman, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye, said, “as the World Leaders are meeting for the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, we want to use the opportunity to demand a United Nations supervised referendum in our regions so that the indigenous people can decide on what they want for their nationhood.
9. FG To Hold Nigeria @60 ‘Party’ To Celebrate Country’s Achievements
The Federal Government has announced that the Nigeria @60 Jubilee Special Award ceremony will hold in September.
Naija News reports that the event is holding at a time the country is facing serious security challenges.
The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, in a statement signed and made available to newsmen on Monday by the minister’s media aide, Ifedayo Sayo, said the ceremony will hold on September 30, 2021, at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The statement which was titled, “Nigeria@60 Award Ceremony Holds Sept 30,” read in part, “The Federal Government has fixed a new date for the Nigeria@60 Jubilee Special Award ceremony. It will take place on Thursday, September 30, 2021.”
10. 2023: Gov Makinde Speaks On His Presidential Ambition
The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde on Monday distanced himself from any plan to run for the presidency in 2023.
The spokesman to the Governor, Taiwo Adisa in a statement released charged the public to disregard the banner advert projecting the Oyo governor as a presidential aspirant.
Makinde was elected as Governor of Oyo State in 2019 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
He noted that people behind the bander are aiming at distracting the people of Oyo state ahead of the 2023 elections.
Those are the top Nigerian newspapers headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
This article was originally published on Naija News