Good morning: Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers
1. A first-class monarch has been killed by gunmen suspected to the kidnappers in Ondo State.
The traditional ruler, Olufon of Ifon, Oba Israel Adeusi, was on Thursday evening shot along Benin-Owo-Akure highway at Elegbeka of Ose Local Government. The monarch was said to be returning to Ifon from Akure, the state capital, where he had gone to attend a meeting before running into the gunmen who had laid ambush on the highway.
2. The All Progressives Congress (APC) formally accepted Senator Ishaku Abbo into the party on Thursday.
The lawmaker was received at the APC national secretariat in Abuja. He was welcomed by Mai Mala Buni, Yobe State Governor and Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
3. President Muhammadu Buhari has approved salary increment for men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
The salary increment, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, said, cuts across all ranks of the force.
4. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, arraigned Prince Lasberry Okafor Anyanwu before Justice E. F. Njemanze of the Imo State High Court for alleged fraud.
Anyanwu was Commissioner for Transport and Chairman, Imo State Transport Company in ex-Governor Rochas Okorocha, administration and he is being prosecuted on four-count charges, bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office, stealing and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N180million.
5. The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Mele Kyari, on Thursday, said the corporation deliberately shut down the nation’s refineries because they no longer make sense to be operated.
The GMD, who disclosed this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Upstream in Abuja, said that the NNPC was unable to supply crude oil to the refineries.
6. Nigeria has recorded 169 new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which confirmed this on its website, said this has brought the total number of cases in Nigeria to 66,974.
7. Governors of the six states of the Northeast have condemned what they described as low provision for capital projects for the states in the federal government’s 2021 budget.
The governors, who met in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, under the North East Governors’ Forum, from Thursday afternoon to around midnight, said the Federal Government gave to the Northeast region a paltry 0.35 percent of proposed N13.02 trillion for capital projects.
8. The Boards of the Nigerian Army (NA), Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and Nigerian Navy (NN) have approved the promotion of senior military officers.
The promoted Army personnel are in the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General and Major General in the NA.
9. President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja assured of more inclusion of women in governance.
Buhari, who spoke when a group of Nigerian women led by Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, visited him at the State House, also reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to end child marriage and boost girl-child education.
10. The Kingdom of Netherlands on Thursday officially presented a smuggled Ife Terracotta antiquity dated to be at least 600 years old to Nigeria.
The repatriated antiquity was presented to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed at a ceremony held in Abuja.