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Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 29th March, 2024
Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 29th March 2024
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Abdullahi Bello as the new Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
In a statement on Thursday in Abuja, the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale said the appointment of Bello is pending confirmation by the Senate.
Ngelale said President Tinubu expects that Bello will lead the Bureau to realise its mandate of maintaining high standards of public morality.
The statement added: “Dr. Bello is a consummate professional with more than 25 years of work experience in consulting, banking, law enforcement, financial services, and academia.
The President anticipates that the new Chairman, upon confirmation by the Senate, will lead the Bureau with utmost integrity toward the realization of its mandate of maintaining high standards of public morality in the conduct of government business and ensuring that the actions and behaviour of public officers conform to the highest standards of morality and accountability.”
Naija News reports that by the presidential pronouncement, Bello replaces Aliyu Kankia, who has been the acting Chairman of the Bureau.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said he is not the one responsible for the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP – Bauchi Central).
Senator Akpabio also stated that he has not received any letter from Senator Ningi demanding his immediate reinstatement.
Recall that Ningi was suspended following his BBC Hausa interview in which he alleged that the budget for the 2024 fiscal year was padded to the tune of N3.7 billion.
After a heated debate by Senators on the floor during plenary over the matter, Ningi was suspended for three months and asked to write a letter of apology to the Senate.
But in a letter written by his counsel, Femi Falana (SAN) on Wednesday, Ningi accused Akpabio of being the accuser, the prosecutor and the judge in his own case in violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
The Bauchi federal lawmaker, therefore, issued a seven-day ultimatum to Akpabio to reinstate him or risk legal action.
Reacting to the ultimatum, the Special Adviser to Akpabio on Media, Eseme Eyiboh, stated that the Senate as an institution suspended Ningi and not the Senate President.
In an interview with Daily Trust, Eyiboh said Senator Ningi cannot issue a threat to his principal to reinstate him because he was not the one who suspended him.
According to Eyiboh, to associate the Senate President’s name or anybody with Senator Ningi’s travail is delusional and a red herring.
The Editor of FirstNews Online Newspaper, Segun Olatunji, has narrated his ordeal in the detention of the Nigerian military.
Recall gunmen suspected to be military officers had invaded Olatunji’s residence at Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos state, on March 15, and took him away.
Since his abduction, there has been a strong outcry from family members, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) calling on President Bola Tinubu to order his immediate release.
However, on Thursday morning, the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) was said to have released Olatunji after spending two weeks in its custody.
Speaking at a press conference shortly after his release, Olatunji said while in detention, he was interrogated about certain stories that FirstNews had carried.
He added that he was questioned about his stories regarding the Chief of Defence Intelligence and the Chief of Staff to the President.
Olatunji asserted that those behind his detention are part of the government, who are not happy with what FirstNews is doing, and are they bent on punishing him.
The press briefing was organised by the leaderships of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI).
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has declared seven men and a woman wanted for their involvement in the gruesome murder of 17 Nigerian soldiers who were killed in Okuama Delta state while on official duties.
Naija News had earlier reported that the 17 soldiers were buried amid tears in Abuja on Wednesday.
However, in a post via its official X account on Thursday, the DHQ declared the eight suspects wanted.
Those declared wanted by the Nigerian military include Akevwru Omotegbono, Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Igoli Ebi, Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukevwe, and Reuben Baru.
Recall that the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, had, during the burial ceremony, affirmed his resolve to pursue and bring to justice those responsible for the deaths of military personnel in Delta.
Musa pledged to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice.
Binance Executive, Tigran Gambaryan, has sued the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged violation of his fundamental rights.
Gambaryan, in the originating motion dated and filed March 18 by his lawyer, Olujoke Aliyu, from Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm, sought five reliefs before Justice Inyang Ekwo.
Also, Nadeem Anjarwalla, the Binance’s Africa regional manager who escaped from lawful custody March 22, filed a separate right enforcement suit before Justice Ekwo.
Gambaryan and Anjarwalla, in the suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 and FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24, had sued the Office of NSA (ONSA) and EFCC as 1st and 2nd respondents.
They sought same reliefs. Gambaryan, a US citizen overseeing financial crime compliance at the crypto exchange platform, in his application, sought a declaration that his detention and seizure of his international travel passport, contravened Section 35 (1) and (4) of 1999 Constitution (As Amended).
He said the act amounted to a violation of his fundamental right to personal liberty as guaranteed by the constitution.
He also sought an order directing the respondents to release him from their custody and return his international travel passport with immediate effect.
Former leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, including ex-National Chairman, Uche Secondus, have publicly declared their support for President Bola Tinubu and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
This declaration signifies a notable shift in the state’s political landscape.
During a press briefing in Port Harcourt, former Minister of Transportation and Director-General of the PDP’s Presidential Campaign Council (PDP-PCC) in Rivers State for the 2023 elections, Abiye Sekibo, announced the group’s decision to back the current administration.
The move is seen as a realignment of political loyalties following the 2023 general elections.
The event saw the attendance of key political figures, including Uche Secondus, Austin Opara (former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives), Celestine Omehia (former deputy governor), Tele Ikuru, Senator Lee Maeba, and Dr. Gabriel Pidomson (former Secretary to the Rivers State Government).
This shift comes after the group’s initial support for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the last elections, indicating a significant change in their political stance.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major-General Edward Buba, has debunked reports about the military abducting the Editor of FirstNews Online Newspaper, Segun Olatunji.
Buba made this known during a press briefing at the Defence Headquarters on Thursday, while commenting on Olatunji’s plight.
Naija News recalls that gunmen in military uniform had invaded Olatunji’s residence on March 15, 2024, and whisked him away, sparking widespread concern and condemnation from the media community and beyond.
Since his abduction, there has been a strong outcry for his release, with family members, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) calling for intervention at the highest levels of government.
They urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to use his authority to ensure Olatunji’s safe return.
The NUJ has vehemently condemned the abduction, viewing it as a severe threat to press freedom and a direct attack on the journalism community in Nigeria.
The incident triggered a demand for action to safeguard journalists and uphold the principles of free and safe journalistic practice.
However, at the Defence Headquarters briefing, Buba said the military is not known for abducting journalists.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, expressed excitement for the opportunity to be part of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Naija News reports that Wike made this known after inspecting ongoing rural road projects in Bwari and Abuja Municipal area councils in Abuja.
The former Governor noted that Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ is working, particularly as it concerns the area councils, rural parts and not just cities.
The minister also commended Tinubu for his ‘tremendous support’ of the FCT Administration in providing critical infrastructure and quality services to the residents of FCT.
Wike added that it gladens his heart that Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is practical, not just theory.
The military has received an order from a Federal High Court in Borno to release at least 313 suspected terrorists.
The court’s decision to release the suspects was based on the lack of evidence to incriminate them following the investigation.
The disclosure came from the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, during Thursday’s operational briefing held in Abuja.
He said, “The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of the investigation and other ancillary matters.
“Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”
The country has yet again suffered another nationwide blackout following the collapse of the national electricity grid.
Naija News gathered that the grid centrally managed from Osogbo, Osun State, suffered a collapse at approximately 4:30pm on Thursday, March 28, 2024.
This development marks the fourth time the grid is collapsing in the first three months of the year, leaving millions of homes and businesses without power.
Reports from various distribution companies (DisCos) spanning the nation’s 36 States stated that their feeders were rendered inactive, resulting in widespread blackouts across the country.
The grid’s output, which stood at 2,984 megawatts as of 4 pm on Thursday, plummeted to zero within the span of an hour, with all 21 plants connected to the grid ceasing operations by 5 pm.
