Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Sunday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, said on Saturday that the campaign to dislodge him from his post stemmed from his friendship with the Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike. Anyanwu, who was restored to the position on Friday by the Supreme Court following protracted litigation, said he has all this while been a victim of some PDP members’ proxy war against Wike.

2. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Saturday attributed its neutral position on the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State to the need to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests. Taking positions on contentious partisan issues, the NGF said, it would not augur well for it, especially in view of its past experience in fundamental division.

3. Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that a compromised judiciary and poor governance deter investment and diminish Nigeria’s global reputation. He spoke at the Haske Satumari Foundation’s annual colloquium in Abuja, which focused on promoting social development through diversity, equity, and inclusion.

4. Rivers State Sole Administrator, Ibok Ibas, has said he is determined to ensure that Rivers State House of Assembly complex is completed before he leaves office. Ibas, who disclosed this during the inspection of the complex om Saturday, explained that in the last two days of assumption of duties, he had noticed a missing pillar in the State governance structure.

5. Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Ilobu, Ifon, and Erin-Osun communities with immediate effect. This is meant to curb the further spread of the communal crisis that has been ongoing in the communities.

6. An outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis has claimed the lives of six students at Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero (KSUSTA). This was contained in a statement on Saturday by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mustapha Ango.

7. Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, has criticized the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso, for his recent comment on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. In a statement on Saturday the minister advised Kwankwaso to keep his opinion to himself.

8. Ogun State Police Command on Saturday said that its operatives have arrested eight students of Ifo High School for allegedly engaging in cult activities. Those picked up were Omolaso Waris (16 years) Bennett Bolawatife (15 years)Aluko Taiwo (15 years) Akinola Ifeoluwa (16 years) Azeez Hassan (16 years) Kilani Babatunde (aka Soldier) (16 years).

9. The Anambra State Police Command has rescued three yet-to-be-identified persons who were abducted by gunmen along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area. In a statement on Saturday, the Anambra State police spokesman, Superintendent of Police Tochukwu Ikenga, said the victims were rescued at about 7:20 am on Saturday.

10. The Nigerian Air Force said it has killed several terrorists in torrents of airstrikes on their fortified hideouts in Chiralia, Grazah, Yuwe, and Zango Hill, in Borno and Katsina states. This was contained in a statement by the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Group Capt. Kabiru Ali, on Friday in Abuja.