Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines For Today, Friday

Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines For Today, Friday

1. President Buhari Sends Easter Message To Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to increase their level of love, commitment, and sacrifice in order to promote peace in the county.

Buhari gave the charge on Thursday in his Easter message to Christians in the country, Naija News reports.

He charged them not to forget the lessons of the Lenten season but should constantly be reminded of the power of divine love, faith and redemption which is what Jesus Christ demonstrated by his death and resurrection.

While wishing all citizens a joyful Easter celebration, President Buhari charged everyone to be mindful of their utterances and behaviour even as the election year draws closer.

2. National Assembly Passes Amended 2022 Budget

The National Assembly has passed an amendment to the 2022 Appropriation Act and 2022 Fiscal Framework.

The passage of the amended budget raised the deficit in the Federal Government’s budget by N965.42billion to N7.35trillion.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had written to the National Assembly to call for amendments to the budget and the fiscal framework for 2022.

During Thursday’s plenary, both the Senate and the House of Representatives considered and adopted reports from their committees on the amendment bills.

3. Details Of Buhari’s Meeting With Council Of State Emerge

The details of the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and members of the Council of State have emerged.

The council of state meeting which started at 10 am, was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Some of the past Nigerian leaders physically present at the meeting include Goodluck Jonathan, Abdusalami Abubakar, and Yakubu Gowon.

While former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former military president, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and other leaders joined the meeting virtually.

Briefing State House Correspondents after the meeting, Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa said the worsening insecurity in the country was the main talking point of the meeting.

Badaru said President Buhari will meet with service chiefs and heads of security agencies on April 19 to address the security challenges facing the country.

4. IGP Baba Promotes 21,039 Junior Police Officers Last Promoted In 2017

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has approved the promotion of 21,039 junior police officers who were last promoted on or before 2017.

The Acting Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi who made this known in a statement on Thursday said the approval for their promotion was given on Wednesday, 13th April.

A breakdown of those promoted shows 20,572 Sergeants were elevated to the next rank of Inspector, 324 Corporals to Sergeants, and 143 Constables to the rank of Corporal.

The statement added that the IGP’s move is part of “ongoing efforts aimed at improving welfare, conditions of service, boosting the morale of personnel, with a view to repositioning the Force for greater efficiency.”

He noted further that “the promotion of the officers is part of the manpower development drive of his administration to ensure that deserving personnel are promoted accordingly, to encourage hard work, and further embed the culture of merit, excellence, and dedication to duties.”

5. FG Fixes Date To Hold National Population Census

The Federal Government has said that the national population census is scheduled to hold between March and April 2023.

Briefing State House Correspondents after the Council of State meeting, Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State said the census will take place after 16 years.

Governor Badaru said this was part of the resolutions reached at the Council of State meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

The meeting was chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari and was attended by former Heads of State – Abdusalami Abubakar, Goodluck Jonathan, and Yakubu Gowon.

6. United States Releases Damning Report, Accuses Nigerian Military, Police, DSS Of Corruption

The United States government has accused some of the security agencies in Nigeria including the military, police, and the Department of State Services (DSS) of impunity fuelled by corruption and a weak judiciary.

The American government said it has documented evidence of significant human rights abuses by the security agents, arbitrary killings, and unlawful detention of civilian citizens in harsh prison conditions.

It also accused the government of serious restrictions on free expression and media, including violence or threats against journalists.

The allegations are contained in the US’ Department of State 2021 country reports on human rights practices published on its website on Tuesday.

It further pointed out that general serious government corruption exists almost unchecked.

7. Sokoto Assembly Speaker Dumps APC For PDP

The Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hon. Aminu Muhamad Achida has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Speaker announced his defection during the house plenary on Thursday.

He disclosed that the State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal played a huge role in his decision to dump the APC for the PDP.

Similarly, a member of the state House of Assembly representing Wammako 2Constituemcy, Murtala Bello Maigona has also dumped the APC for the PDP.

8. House Of Reps Approve President Buhari’s N4trn Request For Petrol Subsidy

The House of Representatives on Thursday approved the N4 trillion for subsidy payment on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol as requested by President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari had sent in the request as part of the revision of the 2021 fiscal framework.

The President had requested the lawmakers to approve an additional N3.557 trillion in addition to the N442.72 billion provided in the 2022 budget for subsidy.

Members of the Green Chamber also set a $73 oil price benchmark and approved the reduction in crude oil production quota from 1.8million barrels per day to 1.6 million barrels per day.

The Senate also approved the figures as requested by the President.

9. Easter 2022: Nigerians Are Thirsty – CAN Tells FG

Kaduna State Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to quench the thirst of the citizens.

The clergyman in his Easter 2022 message made available to newsmen on Thursday, said Nigerians are hungry and thirsty due to the poor economy of the country.

Hayab lamented the insecurity challenges being faced in the country and also blamed the state of the nation on poor governance.

He said, “They are thirsty due to poor economy, thirsty due to bad governance, and thirsty because of insecurity. All the thirst experiences could lead to misery.

“Accordingly, celebrating Jesus’s victory at Easter with a dry throat, dry stomach, and dry lifestyle is because of the failure of the successive administrations, as well as the existing one.”

According to him, the government needs to provide cold water to quench the thirst of Nigerians, saying that people have been crying out loud like Jesus on the cross, that they were thirsty, but, sadly, the leaders do not appear to care.

10. ‘Things Appear To Be Getting Worse’ – Fani-Kayode Loses Patience With Buhari Govt

Former Minister of Aviation and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Femi Fani-Kayode has tackled the Muhammadu Buhari-led government over rising cases of killings across the country.

Reacting to the recent killings of over a 100 people in Plateau State and Benue State by bandit terrorists in a post on his Twitter handle on Thursday, Fani-Kayode stated that things appear to be getting worse under the Buhari administration.

He described the killings by bandit terrorists as disgraceful, indefensible and unacceptable.

According to the Deputy Coordinator of the Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign, Nigerians endured the pain and shame in silence for too long, hoping and praying that the authorities will rise up to the occasion.

Fani-Kayode stated that the Buhari government has an obligation before God and the Nigerian people to do far more.