Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers
The Federal Government yesterday said it has recovered the sum of $85m from the United Kingdom (UK) which is part of stolen money from the Malabu Oil deal. The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who made this disclosure, decried the negative attitude of some countries that are still holding on to stolen assets, despite several treaties signed with the Federal Government to facilitate the return of such assets.
- President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday presided over the rescheduled Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
The meeting, which held at the Council Chambers in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, has the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau conspicuously absent but with Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami on ground.
- A South-East based group, the World Igbo Youth Congress, WIYC, has, asked Abia State Governor, Chief Okezie Ikpeazu and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to produce the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The youths said anything on the contrary, the duo should be made to face the music.
- The Indigenous People of Biafra on Thursday warned a former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, to stop making provocative and false statements against the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu- Ojukwu and the civil war.
The group expressed worries that Gowon, at 83, could lie against the dead (Ojukwu) who could not defend himself in the circumstance.
- Senator representing Bauchi Central district in the National Assembly, Isah Hamma Misau, has opened up on the reports that he dragged the first lady into the feud involving him and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
Senator Isa Misau, who denied making any allegations against First Lady, Aisha Buhari, said his submission to the committee was simply to call attention to how the IGP Idris was unethically dropping names by filing secret documents in court.
- President Muhammadu Buhari late last night had a meeting with Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, at the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock, Abuja.
It is understood that the late night meeting might not be unconnected to the 2018 budget.
- The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has commenced exploration activities in the Benue Trough.
According to a statement by the corporation, the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Mr. Maikanti Baru, announced this development during a visit to the Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr. Umaru Tanko Almakura in Lafia.
- Some heavily-armed robbers on Thursday attacked a branch of a commercial bank in Ifon, the headquarters of the Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Two police officers attached to the bank were killed, while the bandits made away with an undisclosed huge amount of money.
- Nigeria has to grow the credibility of its democracy to a stage where it will no longer have to wait for court judgments to conclude elections, former President Goodluck Jonathan has said.
He noted that by conceding defeat before the 2015 election result was declared, he wanted to set a new standard for the nation’s democracy and prove a point that election-related litigations should no longer define Nigeria’s democracy.
- The Presidency on Thursday said an Abuja Magistrate’s Court as well as the international police, popularly called the INTERPOL had issued fresh warrants for the arrest of the embattled former Chairman of the defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said Maina’s investigation had been extended beyond his reinstatement and subsequent posting.
