Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the news roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 6th October 2022
The remaining 23 victims kept in captivity after the dreaded terrorist attack on an Abuja–Kaduna bound train on March 28, 2022, have been released on Wednesday, Naija News understands.
Recall that scores of citizens were killed and abducted in the attack that happened in Katari, Kaduna State, Nigeria, over three months ago.
The assailants had released some of the victims earlier, while they kept others in their den, making unfriendly demands from the federal government.
However, in a statement by the Secretary of the Chief of Defence Staff Action Committee, Usman Yusuf, the hostages were released at about 4 pm on Wednesday.
The development came six months after they were abducted and more than a month after Tukur Mamu, a former negotiator with the captors was arrested.
According to Yusuf, the committee had taken custody of the released victims.
Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are meeting with the National Chairman of the ruling party, Abdullahi Adamu.
Naija News reports that the Governors were led to the meeting by the Governor of Plateau State and Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Simon Lalong.
The meeting, which started at 12.00 noon, is taking place at the APC National Secretariat also known as Buhari House in Abuja.
It is understood that the purpose of the meeting is the composition of the presidential campaign council.
Among those at the meeting include former APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has revealed that part of the 2023 proposed N19.76 trillion budget can still be altered by Federal Executive Council (FEC) before Friday.
This development comes after today’s FEC meeting which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Presidential aide who briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting said FEC members discussed the proposed budget extensively, and part of its provisions including the revised 2023-2025 fiscal framework, expenditure profile, budget proposal, capital and aggregate expenditure, overhead cost and personnel cost among others can still be altered before the final approved copy is presented on Friday.
Adesina stated that the Council meeting predominantly focused on a single item which is the 2023 appropriation bill, and it would be inappropriate to divulge details of it, as a mark of respect to the National Assembly.
The presidency (source) on Wednesday denied allegations by the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, stating that some of his supporters were secretly arrested.
Naija News recalls that on Tuesday, Obi had condemned the intimidation of some of his supporters via a statement.
However, a presidency source informed Vanguard that all political parties under President Muhammadu Buhari administration have the absolute constitutional and God-given right to campaign openly and without hindrance.
The source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that Obi’s assertions were unfounded and both the Nigeria Police Force, (NPF) and the Department of State Services, (DSS) had confirmed that no arrests were made.
Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has denied claims that he is planning to truncate the ambition of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Naija News reports that the governor made this known in a statement released by his media aide, Christian Aburime, and made available to journalists in Awka on Wednesday.
The statement follows a report that Soludo ordered members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra to work against Obi at the polls.
According to the report, Soludo charged Anambra APGA to work against Obi because he was dreaming of the Presidency after Atiku Abubakar.
But in a statement by Aburime, the governor said that at no time during the APGA meeting was Obi mentioned or his presidential ambition discussed.
President Muhammadu Buhari has consented to the appointment of Adepoju Sunday as the new Postmaster General/Chief Executive Officer for the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).
The appointee was a former member of the Federal House of Representatives who represented Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency between 2011 – 2015 and 2015 – 2019, Naija News reports.
Sunday’s new role was confirmed in a statement issued on Wednesday, October 5 through the spokesperson to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Uwa Suleiman.
The statement noted that the appointment was given following a recommendation by the Ministry’s head, Prof Isa Pantami.
The Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics (CONUA) on Wednesday appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reach an amicable agreement with the federal government over the lingering strike action by the union.
CONUA lamented the impact of the ASUU strike action which has kept students and lecturers of Nigeria’s public universities at home for about eight months.
However, speaking during a TV interview on Wednesday, CONUA National Coordinator, Niyi Sunmonu said it is time to find a solution so students and lecturers can return to the classrooms.
He however said his own faction has not been on strike but they are not able to teach.
Naija News recalls amidst the crisis in the education sector, the Muhammadu Buhari-led Government on Tuesday presented a certificate of recognition and registration to the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA).
CONUA is a breakaway faction of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Tuesday met with President Muhammadu Buhari over the lingering industrial action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Gbajabiamila led officials of the House of Representatives to the closed-door meeting with President Buhari in Abuja.
Recall that the Speaker had earlier met with the leadership of ASUU promising to relay their demands to the president.
Gbajabiamila while addressing State House Correspondents at end of the meeting described the meeting with President Buhari on Tuesday as very fruitful.
According to the Speaker, President Buhari during the meeting promised to look into the recommendations of the House aimed at ending the lingering industrial action.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday met with some Governors and stakeholders from the North East geo-political zone.
Naija News reports that Atiku received over 25, 000 defectors from various political parties across the State at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium Bauchi before the North East Consultative meeting.
Those present at the meeting at the Multi-Purpose hall Bauchi are: Bauchi Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri; former Senate President Bukola Saraki; Sokoto Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido; former Niger Governor Babangida Aliyu; Vice presidential candidate of the PDP Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu and Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed.
Others are Senator Dino Melaye one of the spokespeople for Atiku’s presidential campaign; Taraba Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku; Gombe PDP governorship candidate Dr. Mohammed Jibrin; Taraba governorship candidate Agbu Kefas; Yobe Gov candidate Shariff Abdullahi and Muhammad Ali Jajari, governorship candidate in Borno.
Nigeria and forty-one other African and South American countries have been stripped of visas on arrival in Ethiopia.
The reason for the decision is yet to be made public but the Ethiopian government announced the development in a circular issued on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, Naija News reports.
The frantic action has since thrown doubts iver the partnership between Nigeria and Ethiopia as well as the African Giant’s rule of reciprocity with regard to both countries’ Bilateral Air Services Agreement( BASA).
The circular made available to newsmen by Ethiopian Airlines that was titled – ‘No More Visa on Arrival for Nigerian Citizens’, stated that the country must obtain visas from the Ethiopian Embassy in Abuja before embarking on any trip.
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