10 things you need to know this Friday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers 1. The Federal Government of Nigeria on Thursday arraigned Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Isah Misua. Misau was arraigned before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja for allegedly making injurious and untrue statement against the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris. 2. The Lagos State Government has amended the charges it filed against notorious kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans, alongside five others. The Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, in the state, Titilayo Shitta-Bey told the Justice Justice Hakeem Oshodi-led court that the amendment relates only to the punishment section for the second charge. 3. The Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans yesterday warned the Federal Government against reckless borrowing. The Chairman of the committee, Shehu Sani, at a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Finance to discuss President Buhari’s request for external borrowing of $5.5bn sought to know why revenues from local sources cannot be used to fund the 2017 budget. 4. The Federal Government has said its external borrowing plan, for which it is seeking the approval of the National Assembly, will take Nigeria between 5-30 years to repay. The government also insisted it would have to borrow more to complete a number of ongoing infrastructural projects. 5. Patience Jonathan, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday temporarily halted the Federal High Court in Abuja from hearing an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking an order of interim forfeiture of two properties traced to her in Abuja. Although, such ex parte applications are heard by courts without the knowledge or participation of the other parties whose properties are at stake, Patience got wind of the case and her lawyers stormed the court. 6. Former President Goodluck Jonathan has claimed that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari is characterised by lies and propaganda. Jonathan said the solidarity being enjoyed by the party even though it lost election at the centre in 2015 showed that “there is something in the PDP.” 7. President Muhammadu Buhari and his counterpart from Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan have agreed partnership in the area of defence and security. Speaking at a joint press conference after a meeting, Buhari said he was ‘‘very pleased’’ that the defence ministers of both countries held extensive discussions on developing new strategies for counter-terrorism. 8. An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission witness, Michael Adariku, on Thursday told an Abuja High Court how N1.4bn security vote from the office of the National Security Adviser was diverted. The witness, led in evidence by EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), narrated how N650m was transferred from the ONSA’s Zenith Bank account to Acacia Holdings account with Ecobank. 9. The women wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly kicked against a return to regional government in Nigeria. According to them, such move will only fan the ember of suspicion and the fear of oppression among minority groups in the country. 10. Igbo group, under the aegis of Igbo People of Nigeria, Thursday stormed Abuja, the nation’s capital to pledge their loyalty to the the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. The group said it was strongly behind the current government and the unity of Nigeria.

10 things you need to know this Wednesday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers: 1. The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has written a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, asking him to call Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru to order over alleged act of insubordination that has now humiliated him. In the letter, titled ‘Re: Matters of insubordination and lack of adherence to due process by the GMD NNPC – Dr. Baru,’ Kachikwu alleged that the NNPC boss had repeatedly sidelined and disrespected the board of the national oil firm, including him. 2. The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has warned politicians and political parties to stop campaign, ahead of the 2019 general elections. He said the ban on campaign was still on and until it was lifted, it was illegal for any party or politician to commence campaign. 3. The House of Representatives has threatened to push for the scrap the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).It also mandated its Committee on Tertiary Education and Services to investigate the circumstances surrounding the reduction of JAMB cut-off mark. 4. A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the Attorney General of the Federation to repatrait her back to Nigeria from the United Kingdom. She said she would like to appear in court in Nigeria to defend a criminal charge, bordering on alleged laundering of N450m, where her name had been mentioned. 5. Two members of the National Union of Electricity Employees were on Tuesday beaten during a protest by the union against casualisation, indiscriminate sacking and reduction of salaries by the management of Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, Kainji/Jebba Hydro Power Plant. The victims, Mr. Suleiman Mohammed and Mr. Yusuf Garba, were reportedly assaulted up by some senior security personnel of the company. 6. Former Niger Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo, has insisted that the current Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, was cloned in London. Asari said his claim was based on the fact that the president struggled to deliver his Independent Day speech. The former Militant leader opined that while the president was reading his speech, it would be observed that the “man they have in Aso Rock” was “trying to mimic” the original Buhari. 7. Relatively, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the address made by President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of the Nigeria’s 57th Independence anniversary as a long speech of empty accusations. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dayo Adeyeye, the party said the level of emptiness portrayed in the nationwide address was too grave to be ignored. 8. A former Director General of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Prof. Benjamen Ogunmodede, was on Tuesday sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment without an option of fine by a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, for mismanagement of funds. Two workers at the account section of the institution, Zacheus Tejumola and Adenekan Clement, were jailed along with Ogunmodede. 9. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it had discovered two properties belonging to a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu (retd.), illegally acquired in the United Kingdom with funds that he allegedly diverted from the Nigerian Air Force. The commission told the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday that investigation by its operatives revealed that Amosu purchased the foreign properties with the help of a Bureau De Change company, Right Option Oil and Gas. 10. Chelsea’s Victor Moses and Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi were unavailable in Tuesday evening training, ahead of the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Zambia in Uyo. Iwobi who arrived late to camp was given permission to sit out of the drills by Gernot Rohr, but Moses was yet to arrive as at the time of the training.