TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY MONDAY 

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY MONDAY 

1. Tinubu Govt To Roll Out Presidential CNG Buses, Tricycles Before May 29

The Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government is set to roll out the first set of critical assets for the deployment and launch of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Onanuga said the CNG initiative was designed to deliver cheaper, safer, and more climate-friendly compressed natural gas, especially for mass transit, after the removal of the wasteful fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023.

He said President Tinubu launched the Presidential CNG initiative in October last year and approved the set up of a committee led by Michael Oluwagbemi, an oil and gas expert.

Onanuga said the government provided N100 billion (part of the N500 billion palliative budget) to purchase 5500 CNG vehicles (buses and tricycles), 100 Electric buses and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits, alongside spurring the development of CNG refilling stations and electric charging stations.

The presidential aide said over 600 buses are targeted for production in the first phase, which will be accomplished this year and to mark the president’s first year in office on May 29.

2. Tinubu To Open African Counter-terrorism Summit In Abuja

President Bola Tinubu will on Monday, April 22, open the African Counter-Terrorism Summit in Abuja.

The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

He said Nigeria, with the support of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), is organizing a high-level African counter-terrorism summit under the theme, ‘Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address the Evolving Threat of Terrorism’, in Abuja, from April 22 to April 23.

Ngelale stated that the objective of the summit is to enhance multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation and reshape the international community’s collective response to terrorism in Africa while emphasizing the importance of African-led and African-owned solutions.

He disclosed tha the summit will provide a platform to review the nature and severity of the threat of terrorism on the continent, with a view to agreeing on concrete strategic priorities and measures to address this scourge.

Ngelale added that the summit will also foster deeper regional collaboration, enhancing the institutional capacity of member states and facilitating the exchange of best practices and knowledge to combat the multifaceted threat of terrorism in Africa.

3. APC Speaks On Ganduje’s Fresh Suspension, Makes Fresh Demand

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to the fresh suspension of the party’s national Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje from the party.

Another APC faction had also suspended Ganduje.

Reacting to the development on Sunday, the chairman and secretary of Ganduje ward in Dawakin Tofa local government of Kano state, Ahmed Muhammed Ganduje and Usaini Jibrinn, said no new election was conducted by the state or national body of the APC.

Speaking via a statement made available to Newsmen, the duo said the sponsored group could not do their homework properly by using a fake or uncertified headed paper on which they drew a list of non-existing party executives.

The executive members subsequently called on the national body to facilitate the arrest and persecution of the group for impersonators attempting to cause persecution of the group for impersonation.

They also called on party members to disregard such propaganda aimed at disrupting the party.

4. ‘Expect Increases Here And There’ – CBN Governor Speaks On Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Yemi Cardoso, has told Nigerians to expect the Naira to continue strengthening against the United States Dollar and other foreign currencies.

According to him, the CBN is doing everything possible for the country to have a stable exchange rate.

Cardoso disclosed that the naira has begun strengthening in the foreign exchange market and the apex bank is working to ensure that the exchange rate finds its adequate price discovery level.

The CBN Governor made the submission on April 20 during a press conference held at the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group.

Cardoso added that the target of the CBN is to double the current inflow of diaspora remittances.

According to him, though the target may appear ambitious, he is confident that the country will be able to accomplish it.

The CBN Governor said Nigeria will continue to engage investors in discussions centred on the state of the reforms implemented so far as they are stakeholders in the process.

He also said there has been positive response from foreign portfolio investors (FPI).

5. NDLEA Arrests Three Cartel Members In Historic Heroin Bust

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully apprehended three members of a notorious drug trafficking syndicate operating across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe, and America.

The arrests follow the recent seizure of a substantial heroin consignment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

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NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi announced that the operation, which began on February 10, 2024, at the SAHCO Import Shed of MMIA’s Cargo terminal, resulted in the recovery of 51.90 kilograms of heroin.

The crackdown extended beyond the immediate recovery, leading to a broader investigation and subsequent arrests.

These arrests were part of a larger string of NDLEA activities aimed at dismantling drug trafficking operations within the country.

6. Concerns As ISWAP Concludes Plan To Establish Radio Station

The Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), has reportedly concluded plans to launch a radio station for the use of the terrorist group.

The plan of the ISWAP group is to set up an online radio station to spread its propaganda.

Counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama revealed the news on Sunday in a post via his X account. He stated that the group’s plan is to set up a radio service in KANGARWA and broadcast in Hausa, Arabic, and Kanuri.

Makama, in his post, raised concerns about the implications of the plan by the ISWAP terrorist group as the move is a strong signal to authorities in the sub-region that the insurgency has continued to be dynamic in adopting various means of propaganda.

7. Army Confirms Killing Of Two Officers, Four Soldiers In Niger Terrorists Ambush

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the killings of two officers and four soldiers during an ambush by terrorists in Niger state.

The army personnel of 1 Division of the Nigerian Army deployed to Allewa and Erena were killed on April 19, while on a fighting patrol to Karaga Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.

Army spokesperson, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, announced this on Sunday, April 21.

He said: “Troops gallantly fought through the ambush and eliminated several of the terrorists as well as captured some of their equipment.

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“Sadly, the troops suffered a temporary setback as 6 personnel comprising 2 officers and 4 soldiers paid the supreme price.”

8. Tinubu Govt To Receive Fresh $2.2 Billion World Bank Loan

The Nigerian Government is set to receive around $2.2 billion single-digit interest loan from the World Bank.

The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, disclosed this on Saturday during a press briefing at the World Bank/International Monetary Fund Spring meeting in Washington DC, the United States.

Edun also disclosed that the Nigerian Government would also receive another budget support facility from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Speaking on the sources of international funding to the Nigerian economy, Edun listed diaspora remittances, foreign portfolio investments, and facilities from the World Bank and other international development partners.

Edun also tapped issuing dollar-denominated securities specifically targeted at Nigerians in the diaspora and those with foreign-denominated savings in Nigeria as another measure to attract forex inflows into the country.

9. Why Wike Was Allowed To Attend PDP National Caucus Meeting – Senator Moro

Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, has said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, attended the National Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because he is a member of the party.

The Benue South Senator said Wike was a former Governor and going by the party’s constitution, he is a member of the National Caucus of the party.

In a statement on Sunday by his spokesman, Emmanuel John, Moro said Wike was allowed into the caucus meeting because he had not been found guilty of any crime and penalized by the party.

He said if the party’s disciplinary committee, headed by Senator Bukola Saraki found Wike guilty of the alleged anti-party activities and have him sanctioned, he will stop attending the party’s meetings.

10. Adoke Speaks On Releasing Statement Backing Yahaya Bello

A former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Bello Adoke, has denied releasing any statement to support the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

A post credited to Adoke emerged on social media over the weekend in support of the embattled former Kogi governor.

In the post, the author argued that Bello is not guilty of the corruption allegations against him until a court rules on the case.

The post claimed that there is a court order restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting or harassing Bello.

However, in an interview with TheCable on Sunday, Adoke said he was not behind the viral post and didn’t author the said statement.