Good morning lovely readers and welcome to Politics Nigeria roundup of the top 10 Nigerian newspapers headlines for today Saturday, April 4th, 2020.
1. Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello Suspends Commissioner Over Alleged Assault, Rape
The Kogi State Commissioner for Water Resources, Abdulmumuni Danga, has been suspended by the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, over alleged assault and rape of a lady, Elizabeth Oyeniyi. Politics Nigeria understands that the governor has also ordered a quick investigation into the incident. This development comes hours after a group of over 50 human rights organisations demanded the suspension of Danga. This news medium reports that Oyeniyi was assaulted after posting a comment about the commissioner’s step-sister, who has been her friend for years.
2. Akeredolu Announces Index Case Of COVID-19 In Ondo
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has announced that the Southwest state has recorded its index case of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Akeredolu made this known on Friday in a series on tweets on his verified Twitter handle. The governor said the index case is a military officer who was a returnee from India. Akeredolu added that he has been in isolation since he returned and has been monitored by the medical team of the Military and the state team throughout this period.
3. COVID-19 Lockdown: PDP Blames FG, APC Over Warri Killing
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the extra-judicial killing of Joseph Pessu, the 28-year-old, by a soldier in Warri, Delta State, on Thursday. This paper earlier reported the incident and how the state government has tasked the security agencies to investigate the killing. The PDP, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan, condemned reported brutalization of Nigerians in many parts of the country by security forces under the guise of enforcing the lockdown order to check the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in our country.
4. COVID-19: Buhari Govt Reveals When Lockdown Will End In Lagos, Others
The Nigerian government says the lockdown order placed on some states by President Muhammadu Buhari will be lifted when citizens fully comply with preventive measures to curtail against COVID-19. Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, disclosed when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to update the public on the government’s efforts toward containing the pandemic. Mohammed noted that it would be difficult to defeat coronavirus if citizens failed to observe directives meant to safeguard themselves and others.
5. What Presidency Said About Abba Kyari’s Death Rumour
The Presidency has condemned those spreading rumour that Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, has reportedly died. Politics Nigeria reports that the rumour of Kyari’s death started on Thursday via a tweet by controversial investigative ‘journalist’ Kemi Olunloyo. Olunloyo claimed ‘a high ranking member of President Buhari’s Cabinet has DIED from coronavirus complications’. In a tweet on Friday, Buhari’s Personal Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, said Kyari was responding to treatment and recuperating well in Lagos State.
6. COVID-19: FG Reveals Why Corpses Of Patients Won’t Be Released To Families
The Federal Government has said corpses of patients who test positive for COVID-19 will not be released to their families for burial. Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, made this known at a NAN forum in Abuja on Friday. According to the minister, such bodies would be handled by the Health Ministry because they are contagious.
7. Sex-For-Marks: Randy OAU Professor, Akindele Completes Jail Term
After serving a two-year jail term, Richard Akindele, a professor of management accounting, has been released from prison. POLITICS NIGERIA recalls how the lecturer was sacked from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife after he made sexual advances to a postgraduate student, Monica Osagie, in 2018. In a 5-minute audio clip, which went viral online, Akindele was heard demanding five rounds of sex from Osagie to award her a pass mark in a course she failed. Akindele was to prison after he pleaded guilty to a four-count charge filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
8. COVID-19: FG Gives Criteria For Evacuation Of Stranded Nigerians Abroad
The Federal Government says it is ready to evacuate stranded Nigerians abroad in the wake of the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Politics Nigeria reports that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed all its missions abroad to compile lists of willing nationals who wanted to return to the country. In a statement on Friday by the Head, Media and Public Relations Unit, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abdur-Rahman Balogun, disclosed that this was a sequel to requests by Nigerians stranded abroad in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
9. COVID-19: PDP Rejects New Petrol Pump Price, Insists On N90 Per Litre
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the federal government’s reduction of the pump price of petrol from N125 to N123.5, Politics Nigeria reports. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the main opposition party said the appropriate price Nigerians wanted is N90 per litre. The PDP said any price beyond that is completely rejected and unacceptable to Nigerians.
10. President Buhari Orders Army, Police To Flush Out Bandits In Sokoto And Plateau
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Army to support officers of the police force in an offensive against bandits following recent killings in Plateau and Sokoto States. This information was made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on Friday via a statement signed by Garba Shehu, the president’s senior special assistant on media.
That’s the roundup of the top 10 Nigerian newspapers headlines this morning. More Nigerian newspapers headlines are available on Politics Nigeria website.
