10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Saturday morning, February 8, 2020

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will make your Saturday morning.

1. PARENTS’ BURIAL: Why Buhari must pull out military from Kanu’s village – OYC

With just a few days to the burial of the parents of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, on Friday implored President Muhammadu Buhari to order the withdrawal of the military from Kanu’s Village in Afaraukwu Umuahia, Abia State. The group in a statement issued by its President General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro and the Secretary General, Okwu Nnabuike, appealed to President Buhari to grant the IPOB leader presidential pardon to enable him to return home to bury his parents in accordance with Igbo tradition and culture. Read more

2. No suspected case of coronavirus in Nigeria – Minister

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said on Friday Nigeria has not recorded any suspected case of coronavirus. Ehanire stated this during a ministerial briefing in Abuja. According to him, Nigeria had developed enough capacity to detect and isolate any coronavirus case, especially at international entry points to the country. He said the Africa Centre for Disease Control (ACDC), World Health Organisation (WHO), and other partners have provided scientific and technical support to Nigeria to strengthen its preparedness for the coronavirus. Read more

3. S’Court upholds two-yr jail term, forfeiture of $2m against money laundering convict

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the Appeal Court’s ruling which sentenced one Ngene Linus Chibuike to two years in prison and ordered him to forfeit the sum of $2.6 million to the Federal Government. The Appeal Court delivered the judgment of July 14, 2017 in a case of money laundering levelled against the convict by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Read more

4. Why I didn’t intervene in Ganduje, Sanusi feud – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday explained why he did not intervene in the feud between Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and the Emir of Kano, Mohammadu Sanusi II. The President, according to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said he was constrained by the constitution from intervening in the dispute between the duo. Buhari added that he swore to uphold the peace and security of the people of Nigeria and that where the people are threatened, he would use his constitutional powers to provide a solution to such threats. Read more

5. 169 days and counting, Jalingo still in detention, trial may commence afresh as C’River govt takes over case

The prosecution of Agba Jalingo, has been taken over by the Cross River State government. Jalingo, a journalist, who has been in detention for total of about 169 days is standing trial over allegations of terrorism and other related crimes in the state. On Friday, the state’s attorney general, Tanko Ashang told Justice Simon Amobeda, that a letter to that effect had been filed and is in the records of the court. Read more

Read also: 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Friday morning, February 7, 2020

6. Sack service chiefs or face our wrath, polytechnic students tell Buhari

Nigerian polytechnic students under the aegis of the National Association of Polytechnic Students on Friday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the service chiefs or they would revolt. The students gave the President a 14-day ultimatum to replace the service chief or face their wrath. The service chiefs have come under scathing criticism from Nigerians over their perceived inability to tackle growing insecurity in the country. Read more

7. INSECURITY: PDP charges Buhari to stop living in denial

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday implored President Muhammadu Buhari to stop living in denial, self-praise and making jokes out of the country’s security challenges. The party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, accused the President Buhari of awarding himself “an unearned pass mark despite his failure to tackle violence and terrorism in the country. Read more

8. Supreme Court quashes Abacha family’s bid to access ex-military ruler’s foreign accounts

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal filed by the family of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, seeking an order unfreezing some bank accounts belonging to the late maximum later and other members of the family in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Jersey, Liechenstein and Luxembourg. The accounts were frozen in 1999 following mutual judicial assistance agreements between Nigeria and the five countries. The pact was signed during ex- President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. Read more

9. INEC deregistering of parties reprehensible, affront on judiciary, IPAC says

The Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) has frowned at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) decision to deregister 74 political parties. IPAC said INEC’s decision was without due process and adherence to the provisions of the law and, therefore, called on the electoral body to reverse its decision. The Mahmood Yakubu led INEC announced the deregistering of the parties on Thursday. Read more

10. One dies in botched attempt to abduct Taraba college rector

One person was killed on Friday during a failed attempt to abduct the Provost of Taraba State College of Education, Dr. Mike Dio-Jen, at his residence in Jalingo. The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, at the Green Beach area of Kona ward, in the state capital. An eyewitness told journalists that the kidnappers who came in their numbers, fired several gunshots at the gate of the provost’s house and forced their way in. Read more

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now