10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Saturday morning, October 26, 2019

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will interest you this Saturday morning, October 26, 2019.

1. Our confidence in the integrity of the S’Court has been strengthened, PDP on Wike’s victory

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the Supreme Court judgement that affirmed the election of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State as the final triumph of justice and the will of the people over anti-democratic forces. In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the judgment had further strengthened the confidence of the people in the integrity of the Supreme Court. Ologbondiyan added that it also confirmed the court’s readiness to correct any miscarriage of justice at lower stages of justice system, particularly electoral cases.

2. Nigerian government vows to tackle illegal mining

The Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Uche Ogah, said on Friday the Federal Government is determined to permanently check illegal mining in different parts of the country. The minister stated this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, at the Government House, Umuahia. According to him, the Federal Government has designed strategies to harness the ingenuity of the artisan miners and encourage them to form cooperatives.

3. Labour supports Nigerian govt’s plan to sanction trade unions

Organised labour has lauded the Federal Government’s decision to sanction trade unions that failed to submit details of their yearly audited accounts to the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The union leaders, speaking on Friday in Abuja, stated that such conduct negated the Trade Union Act which stipulated a stringent annual submission of audited accounts for unions. Secretary-General of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Alade Lawal, said that the law on the rendition of account was very clear, adding that there was no need for any union to be reminded to file its reports.

4. #JUSTICEFORJEMIMA: NAF denies demanding report as police say suspect still in custody

The Nigerian Air Force has reacted to a post on Twitter alleging that it refused medical attention to two accident victims rushed to its hospital in Jos, stating that it was a “gross misrepresentation of facts.” Othniel Anselm, a relative to one of the victims had launched a campaign on twitter to get justice for her sister, Jemima and her friend Jennifer, who were in a tricycle on their way to church when a reportedly drunk driver in a BMW rammed into them. Anselm had stated that though the tricycle rider had died on the spot, Jemima and Jenifer had been rushed to 563 Nigerian Air Force Hospital in Jos but were rejected for not having Police report; an action that eventually led to the death of the victims.

5. EDO: APC lawmaker arraigned for forgery, impersonation

The lawmaker-elect for Ovia North East Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, Ugiagbe Dumez, has been arraigned before the state criminal court on allegations of forgery and impersonation. Dumez, who was elected on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the March 9 State Assembly election, was arraigned in absentia with others now at large, who were said to have committed the offence around 2001. The 45-year-old lawmaker was arraigned before Judge Ohimai Ovbiagele on six counts bordering on forgery and impersonation.

Read also: 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Friday morning, October 25, 2019

6. KIDNAP ATTEMPT: Evans opts for plea bargain

Alleged kidnapper, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans, has opted for plea bargain with the Lagos State Government over his attempt to kidnap a leading transporter in the state some years back. The plea bargain was tabled ‎on Friday during proceedings at an Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos, by the Defence Counsel to Evans, Mr. R.B.C. Eke. The plea bargain plans by the camp of Evans was announced by Eke after state counsel, Ms Olayinka Akudo, had told the court that Ubong (fourth defendant) had filed an application for plea bargain.

7. Monkeypox hits three Akwa Ibom communities

Akwa Ibom State government said on Friday that at least 18 suspected cases of Monkeypox have been recorded in three communities in Mkpat Enin local government area of the state. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Uyo, said only one out of the 18 cases has been clinically confirmed. He noted that results of five cases were still being awaited and that all the suspected cases are in three communities of Ikot Akpaden, Ikot Enin and Ndon in Mkpat Enin LGA.

8. BAUCHI: Top officials in 20 LGAs suspended over primary healthcare salary scandal

All Local Government education secretaries and their treasurers, as well as directors of primary healthcare in the 20 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State have been suspended with immediate effect. The Bauchi State government ordered the suspension as part of efforts to ensure that the on-going investigation into the payment of workers’ salaries was not compromised. State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Ladan Salihu, made this known in a statement on Friday.

9. Smuggled rice worth N3.5m seized in Kaduna

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has revealed that it seized 149 bags of smuggled rice valued at over N3.5 million in Kaduna State. Public Relations Officer of the Zone B command, Abubakar Usman, said this in a statement in Kaduna. Usman stated that the rice was seized at Mando motor park in Kaduna while being re-bagged in local sacks to be transported to Lagos.

10. Police arrest teacher for raping JSS I student in Benue

A secondary school teacher, Mr Terseer Maikyo, has been arrested by Police in Benue State for allegedly raping a JSS 1 student in Ukum Local Government Area of the State. The spokesman of the state Police Command, Sewuese Anene, disclosed this in a statement in Makurdi, the state capital. He said the teacher was arrested on October 8 and would soon be arraigned in court.

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