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10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Sunday morning, February 23, 2020

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Top 10 stories from Nigerian newspapers

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will make your Sunday morning, February 23, 2020

1. Nigerian govt to use Abacha’s loot for critical projects, Bagudu will get nothing – Malami

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said on Saturday the $308 million recovered from the family of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, would be used for the development of critical infrastructure in the country. The AGF said in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Gwandu, that there was no form of agreement to hand over $100million out of the latest tranche of the recovered Abacha loot to the Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, or any third-party interest. Read more

2. Buratai encourages troops, says end of Boko Haram just days away

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai has declared that defeating terrorists finally and ending the menace of Boko Haram insurgents is just a matter of days away. Buratai who made the remarks on Friday following recent victories on several Boko Haram and ISWAP hideouts and bases as well as the neutralization of many of their Commanders, commended troops of the Nigerian army for their gallantry that manifested in the unprecedented successes recorded in the Theatre recently. Read more

3. We have nothing to do with jeering of Oshiomhole – Edo govt

The Edo State Government said on Saturday evening it has nothing to do with the hostile reception accorded the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, during his visit to Benin City, the state capital. Security operatives deployed to the Benin Airport on Saturday morning were forced to fire several gunshots to disperse youths allegedly mobilised by suspected agents of the state government to boo the APC chairman who was in the state to attend the burial of the mother of a former member of the House of Representatives, Ehiozuwa Agbonanyinma. Read more

4. PDP TO NASS: Probe presidency for alleged diversion of looted funds

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) told the National Assembly on Saturday to save the nation by probing the presidency following fresh reports of an alleged plot to divert the $308 million recovered from the family of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha and repatriated to the country by the United States. The party said in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, that the recent revelation has further exposed the fact that the administration has been living a lie and parading as saints with a false anti-corruption posturing. Read more

5. Attacks on judges eroding independence of the judiciary —Rights Commission

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday, said the growing culture of attacks on judges over political judgments is gradually eroding the independence of the judiciary. The NHRC, while reacting to the attack on the Abuja home of Justice Mary Odilli over the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Bayelsa State governorship election, warned that recent cases of kidnap of judges, if not curbed by relevant state’s agencies, were also capable of eroding judicial independence. Read more

Read also: 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Saturday morning, February 22, 2020

6. Kaduna to appeal judgment that freed 91 Shi’ites

The Kaduna State Government on Friday said it will appeal against the judgment of a Kaduna State High Court that freed 91 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shi’ites. The IMN members, who were being prosecuted on charges bordering on culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy and disturbance of public peace, have been in detention since December 2015. They were however freed on Friday by the court on the premise that the state government which was prosecuting them failed to prove its case. Read more

7. Bayelsa governor promises to ‘protect’ Ijaws

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, on Saturday affirmed his readiness to defend the Ijaw ethnic nationality in the country. Diri, who stated this during a meeting with the Ijaw Leaders’ Consultative Forum in Yenagoa, insisted that the Ijaws, who are found in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Ondo and Akwa Ibom States, would not play second fiddle to any tribe in the country. The governor said with Bayelsa, the only homogeneous Ijaw state, he would not relent in spearheading the Ijaw cause or interest. Read more

8. ALLEGED ASSAULT: Oluwo laughs off 6 months suspension by Osun State Traditional Rulers’ Council

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has waved aside the suspension handed down to him by the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers after he was found guilty of assault by a committee set up by the council of Obas following his physical encounter with another Oba within the state. The monarch who took to his Instagram page to react to the suspension by the council of Obas laughed off the penance handed to him, describing the action as an ‘audio’ effort. Read more

9. Buhari’s daughter speaks out over man detained by DSS for using ‘her SIM card’

Hanan Buhari, one of the daughters of President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to allegations that the Department of State Services detained a trader, Anthony Okolie, for using a telephone line that was earlier used by her. In a counter-affidavit to the originating motion filed by Okolie who was reportedly detained for 10 weeks, Hanan said that although she had received complaints from relatives that someone was using her old line to solicit money, she never. Read more

10. NAF kills several ISWAP commanders in Borno air raids

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said on Saturday its troops have killed some key commanders of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) during raids on the jihadists assembling point at Jubillaram and Alinwa in the Northern part of Borno State. The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja. Daramola said the ISWAP leaders were killed on Thursday. Read more

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