Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines For Today, Monday, 17th January, 2022

Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines For Today, Monday, 17th January, 2022

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Ezenwoko’s Blog roundup of top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 17th January 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari has set the ball rolling for a major military operation in Niger State which has faced continued attacks on its communities.

This was made known in a statement on Sunday by Buhari’s Media Assistant, Garba Shehu.

Ezenwoko’s Blog reports that Niger State communities have come under attack from bandits and remnants of Boko Haram terrorists fleeing theatres of war in the Northwestern and Northeastern parts of the country.

President Buhari, in a directive to the Defence Headquarters, asked the military to respond robustly to the cases of killings and kidnappings in the State.

The Nigerian leader also asked the Defence HQ to give effect to the strategic objectives through the use of force.

Former military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has said former military dictator, late Sani Abacha, was smart and cunny about the 1993 coup.

The 1993 election which was expected to transit Nigeria from military rule to democratic rule was suddenly cancelled by Babangida before the then National Electoral Commission (NEC) could fully announce the results.

Ezenwoko’s Blog reports that MKO Abiola was set to become president before the election was annulled by the former military president, which led to a national protest.

Following the annulment, Ernest Shonekan took over the affairs of the country on August 27, 1993, as the head of an Interim National Government. But was overthrown by the late Abacha after spending 82 days in office.

In an interview with Trust TV, Babangida stated that Abacha and his cronies deceived some Nigerians who were vocal about June 12 election, coup, and other national issues.

He disclosed that Abacha encouraged Abiola supporters to get rid of the interim government by promising to return Nigeria to a civilian government which he later failed to do.

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Ignatius Kaigama has called on the state and federal governments to arise and pay attention to the challenges of insecurity facing Nigeria.

Particularly, the clergyman called on President Muhammadu Buhari to realize that many families are in deep hardship due to the activities of criminals ravaging the country.

Kaigama lamented during his homily on Sunday that Nigeria seems to be moving from one major national challenge to another with the citizens and residents of the country living in constant fear and general uncertainty.

Ezenwoko’s Blog reports the Archbishop made his mind known during the homily delivered at St. Andrew’s Parish, Orozo, Abuja.

The clergyman who spoke against the background of the occasion of the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day said while the sacrifices of the military men are not unappreciated, the government needs to pay more attention to the challenges facing the nation and the welfare of the security forces themselves.

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) says Northern presidential candidates have the right to vie for the number one position in the country.

This is as the forum said Northern politicians also have the right to aspire to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 like their Southern counterparts.

NEF made the submission in a communiqué approved by its leader, Prof Ango Abdullahi, and issued at the end of its meeting at the Arewa House, Kaduna, on Saturday.

The forum was reacting to the comments made by the South and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) that it will not support any political party that fields a northerner as its presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 presidential poll.

The forum, in a communique released after its meeting in Abuja on Friday, said it will be backing any party that zones its presidential ticket to the South or presents a Southern candidate.

Kicking against the comments, the NEF says all political parties have the fundamental rights to field candidates of their choices, and the right of voters to freely exercise choices over who leads them.

Presidential aspirant and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has spoken on why he visited Katsina State on Sunday.

He spoke while addressing newsmen while in Katsina State amidst rumours that the visit may not be unconnected to his 2023 presidential ambition.

According to the former Lagos State Governor, however, he was in Katsina on a condolence visit to the State Governor, Aminu Masari over the recent gruesome murder of his Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr. Rabe Nasir.

Tinubu said he got information that the late Nasir who was recently killed by armed bandits as a reliable and resourceful individual with great knowledge about Nigeria.

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party are set to hold a strategic meeting on Monday, 17th January, 2022.

The meeting scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital is to discuss crucial issues ahead of the 2023 general election including plans to reclaim power at the central level of government.

The Director-General of the PDP Governors’ forum Cyril Maduabum who made this known in a statement on Sunday added that the meeting will also discuss the state of the nation and will be presided over by the chairman of the forum, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.

Ahead of the meeting, a Gala night to be hosted by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike will take place.

Ezenwoko’s Blog reports that the new National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu is expected to be in attendance and will rub minds with the Governors on how to move the party forward.

Bandit terrorists have killed three and kidnapped twenty-eight persons during an invasion of Farin-Shinge, Kulho, Jigawa, Dogo Fadama communities of Mashegu Local Government Area, Niger State.

Ezenwoko’s Blog gathered that the terrorists invaded the communities between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, shooting sporadically into the air to scare the residents.

It was learned that the attack started in Farin-Shinge community a few minutes to the Jummat prayers on Friday with eight people kidnapped and whisked away from the area.

Also, Jigawa, Dogo Fadama and surrounding communities were under siege by the terrorists with two people killed while four others abducted.

The terrorists were said to have also moved from house to house, stealing some household properties and rustling a lot of cattle.

According to a resident in the area, the gunmen stormed the area unaware and vigilantes in the area were unable to confront them.

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, says the country will be better off with a new electoral law ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Jega advised President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the electoral act amendment bill before the conduct of the forthcoming general elections and also advised the National Assembly to remove the compulsory direct primary provision for political parties from the bill.

The former INEC chief, while speaking at a town hall meeting organized by Yiaga Africa on Sunday, said it is necessary that the country goes into the 2023 polls with a new electoral law.

He stated that the electoral bill contains quite a lot of good interventions and the issue of direct or indirect primaries should not be made to deter the electoral process.

Jega, however, lamented that direct primaries may also be problematic because of the loopholes within the system.

The spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has stated that President Muhamadu Buhari is a mistake and disappointment to the North.

He made the submission while speaking to reporters during a meeting organised by the NEF at the Arewa House in Kaduna on Saturday.

Baba-Ahmed stated that the situation in the North and the entire country had been worse than when Buhari took over in 2015, saying that the region was deceived into voting for Buhari believing that the country would be better.

The NEF spokesman added that the region would only vote for a competent candidate in the 2023 presidential election and not support any candidate based on sentiment.

He said the North will not repeat the same mistake made in 2015 in which it supported President Muhammadu Buhari based on sentiment, advising the North to support a candidate that would solve the issues facing the region.

Baba-Ahmed added that the region will support a candidate that has competence, integrity and commitment to the rule of law regardless of where he comes from in the country.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, has suspended the head of the Anti-vandal team in Rivers State.

The NSCDC chief also disbanded the team following grievous accusations made by Governor Nyesom Wike during the arrest of illegal oil bunkers and refinery operators in the state.

Wike had alleged that the NSCDC unit and police were aiding and abetting vandals and illegal bunkers to carry out their nefarious activities in the state.

Reacting in a statement on Saturday, the NSCDC Commandant General expressed shock over the allegations as he ordered the suspension of the head of the anti-vandal team and the disbandment of the unit.

He stated that the suspension will remain in place pending the outcome of an independent inquiry set up to look into the weighty allegations levelled against the unit by Wike.

Those are the top Nigerian newspapers headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Ezenwoko’s Blog. See you again tomorrow.

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