TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY, THURSDAY

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY, THURSDAY

 

1. Terrorists Release Children, Three Others Abducted On Abuja-Kaduna Train

Terrorists have released four children that were kidnapped during the Abuja-Kaduna train attack in March.

The terrorists kidnapped the children alongside their parents and other passengers onboard.

The terrorists had bombed the rail track, gunned down some passengers and abducted some.

Some of the passengers abducted have been released over four months.

Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamur, in a statement released on Wednesday, said children and their parents were released after the intervention of Sheik Ahmad Gumi.

2. Buhari Appoints New Aide On Policy And Coordination

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday approved the appointment of former Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office (EPO), Dr. Habiba Muda Lawal, as his Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination.

This was made known in a statement to Naija News by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Garba Shehu.

Before retirement, Dr Lawal had successfully supervised a team that ensured management, identification, planning and execution of projects to mitigate serious ecological challenges across the country, with commendable results.

Dr Lawal, who served as Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, 19th April 2017 to 30th October, 2017, has resumed in her new office.

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3. Peter Obi Has The Right To Contest, Power Must Return To The South – Akeredolu

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has stated that the Presidency of Nigeria must come to the South in 2023 in honour of the unwritten power rotation arrangement in the country.

Speaking on Wednesday at the one-year remembrance of Prof. Bankole Oke of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, the governor insisted that nothing must be done to change the power rotation agreement in the country since the return to civil rule in 1999.

According to Akeredolu, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, is right to contest next year’s election because he is from the southern part of Nigeria.

4. 2023: Your Empty Assurances Are Why Atiku Is Behaving Like He Has Won The Election – Group Slams Babangida

Former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu has been charged to focus on how to secure votes in his home state for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) first rather than giving false assurances to Atiku Abubakar about winning the 2023 presidency.

The caution was handed down on Wednesday by a group identified as the Northern Youths Movement (NYM) in a statement signed in Abuja by its Chairman, Mallam Ishaya Jato.

Going down memory lane, the group pointed out that even as a sitting governor, Aliyu lost Niger State in previous presidential elections, so he has no moral standing to be giving assurances about electoral victory to another person now that he is even out of office.

It also called on Atiku to get down to work on convincing Nigerians on why they should vote for him as the next leader of the country.

The stand of the group comes as a reaction to the earlier submission by Babangida Aliyu that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar will win Rivers State and the South-South region in the 2023 election.

But NYM has now stated that such boastful statements and assurances are why Atiku himself has been going about like he has won the 2023 presidential election already.

5. Tinubu/Shettima Campaign: Lalong Speaks On Turning Down DG Position

Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has distanced himself from a group which staged a protest demanding that he turns down the job of Director General of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign organization.

Lalong, who visited President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday to show his appreciation for the approval of the University of Jos as a national cancer centre, told State House Correspondents, that being an ardent member of the Catholic faith does not stop him from accepting the appointment.

He went on to state that even the Pope is not angry with his decision to accept the job.

He advised Nigerians to avoid ethnic or religious sentiments while also adding that he has already accepted the job and no one would stop him from performing his responsibilities.

A group under the aegis of Concern Christians on the Plateau (CCP) staged a rally in Abuja, where they demanded that he rejects the offer or the Plateau Christians would not support him in ‘the suspicious engagement or assignment.’

However, Lalong debunked the group’s allegations, insisting that he never lobbied for the Vice President position in the first place.

6. Muslim-Muslim Ticket: Politicians Trying To Divide Nigerians With Religion – Akeredolu

The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Wednesday accused desperate politicians of using religion to divide Nigerians.

He warned Nigerians while speaking at the one-year remembrance of Prof. Bankole Oke of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan while delivering a lecture entitled, ‘Nigeria: The politics of religion in a transitional society.’

The decision of Akeredolu’s party to field a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for the 2023 election had been met with a lot of backlashes.

Akeredolu recalled that religion was not used in determining those elected and appointed into offices in the First Republic but their capacity to deliver.

The Governor urged Nigerians to be optimistic that the country would be great again.

He also called for the restructuring of the country and the creation of state police to help tackle the rising insecurity.

7. Diesel Hike: NRC Reduces Lagos-Ibadan Trips By 67%

The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has reduced the number of trips on the Lagos-Ibadan train service due to the hike in diesel price.

The train service on that route was reduced by 66.67 per cent.

A further report revealed that NRC has recommended an adjustment in the transport fare to the Federal Ministry of Transportation.

The Managing Director, NRC, Fidet Okhiria, while speaking with Punch said the trips had been reduced due to the persistent hike in diesel price.

The price of Diesel has increased by over 300 per cent in the past few months forcing affected persons to threaten strike before the Federal Government intervened.

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8. 2023: PDP Speaks On Wike Banning Atiku’s Campaign In Rivers State

The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has reacted to the claim that the state Governor, Nyesom Wike has plans to ban the presidential campaign of the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the state.

The party noted that Governor Wike would have announced it publicly if he had the intention of halting Atiku’s campaign in the state.

PDP State Publicity Secretary, Tambari Gbara in a statement released on Wednesday called on the former Rivers Southeast Senator, Ledogo Maeba to provide evidence that Wike said so.

Gbara stated this while reacting to Maeba’s claim that Governor Wike was not pleased with their visit to Atiku in Abuja, and had warned them not to campaign for Atiku without his permission.

9. Bandits Kidnap Ango Abdullahi’s Daughter-In-Law, Four Children

Bandit terrorists have kidnapped the daughter-in-law of the Chairman, Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Ango Abdullahi.

This development comes a month after one of the children of the NEF leader was kidnapped and later released from captivity.

It was learned that the terrorists invaded Yakawada village in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna on Tuesday night and kidnapped many of the villagers.

A source told Daily Trust that the terrorists were said to have stormed the residence of the village head, Alhaji Rilwanu Saidu and kidnapped his wife and four children.

The source added that the gunmen also kidnapped some victims at the residence of the monarch’s neighbour and killed one patrol guard, Aminu Lawal during the attack.

He added that three people, who sustained injuries in the attack, are receiving treatment at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria.

10. Stop Criticizing The Government Unnecessarily – Presidency Sends Warning To Media

Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina has urged the media not to send Nigeria to a tailspin with too much criticism.

Speaking at the State House on Tuesday when a radio station presented him an award, the presidential aide pleaded for continued partnership with the media.

He argued that the media appears at loggerheads with the government due to the constant criticism.

He stated further that constant criticism would put the nation into a tailspin which would consequently affect the work of the media.