21/03/2024
1. Killing of soldiers: Troops comb Bayelsa, Delta creeks for militant leader.
By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Henry Umoru, Sam Oyadongha, Jimitota Onoyume, Luminous Jannamike, Ochuko Akuopha, Davies Iheamnachor, Daniel Abia, & Chancel Sunday - Vanguard
Troops of the Nigerian Army yesterday continued the manhunt for the fleeing militant leader, (names withheld) and his gang members, suspected of having carried out the killing of 17 soldiers last Thursday at Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, combing creeks and hideouts across Delta and Bayelsa states.
2. Stop Disturbing My Ministers, CBN Gov, Other Appointees’ – Tinubu Tells National Assembly
By Richard Ogunsile - Naija News
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that the National Assembly’s constant summons could disturb and distract his appointees from carrying out their primary duties.
The Nigerian leader asked the lawmakers to be accommodating enough and ‘let the poor breathe’.
Naija News reports that President Tinubu stated this during the Ramadan fast-breaking event in Abuja on Wednesday, March 20.
At the religious event, Tinubu acknowledged the importance of oversight in ensuring transparency and accountability in governance. However, he said that excessive summoning of officials can lead to disruptions in operations and affect service delivery to citizens.
3. Tinubu Bans Foreign Trips By Ministers, Aides, Govt.
By Olugbenga Ige - Naija News
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has banned ministers, aides and other government officials from embarking on foreign trips in a bid to cut the cost of governance.
Tinubu gave the directive via a letter dated March 12 2024, by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
According to Premium Times, President Tinubu, in the letter, directed an embargo on all foreign trips, but stated that exemption could be given to trips deemed absolutely necessary.
The letter added that Tinubu said such exemptions would need presidential approvals which must be sought two weeks ahead of the planned trip.
4. CJN to earn N64m annually as Tinubu increases judicial officers’ remuneration
Also, the President of the Court of Appeal is to earn N62.4 million annually while the justices of the Supreme Court are to earn N61.4 million annually.
By Bakare Majeed - Premium Times
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) will earn as much as N64 million annually, according to the bill seeking to review the salaries and allowances of the country’s judicial officers.
Also, the President of the Court of Appeal is to earn N62.4 million annually while the justices of the Supreme Court will earn N61.4 million annually.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday sent an executive bill to the National Assembly to review the salaries of judicial officers.
5. Naira and Dollar
Naira rebounds to N1,400/$ as speculators offload forex
By Damilola Aina and Daniel Adaji - Punch
The naira rebounded against the United States dollar on Wednesday at the official and parallel markets, with the local currency recording a significant gain against the greenback at the black market.
This came as the Central Bank of Nigeria announced the final settlements of all valid foreign exchange backlogs, fulfilling a key pledge of the apex bank governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, to process an inherited backlog of $7bn in claims.
The Acting CBN Director, Corporate Communications, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, who disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday, recalled the central bank had recently cleared $1.5bn from the backlogs.
On Wednesday, the naira closed trading at 1,410/dollar at the parallel market and N1,492 at the official Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market, according to data compiled from the FMDQ Securities Exchange.
6. AEDC, Niger State Govt partner on ‘Light Up Niger’ project to improve electricity supply
By Daily Post Staff
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and the Niger State Government have come up with an initiative that will improve electricity supply to residents of Niger State.
The initiative code name “Light Up Niger 2024” would be a collaboration between the State government and the AEDC to ensure a steady power supply to Nigerlites.
This was brought to the fore when Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago received the AEDC delegation led by its Chief Operations Officer, Eng. Chijioke Okwuokenye at the Government House, Minna.
Governor Bago described the initiative as a welcome development because Niger State is host to four hydro dams and the dams contribute about 60% electricity in Nigeria.
7. Senate Passes Student Loan, NYSC Trust Fund Bills
By Independent Nigerian Correspondents
The Senate on Wednesday passed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024.
The Senate passed a resolution after considering the report of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND that considered the bill on the floor of the upper chamber.
Senator Muntari Dandutse, who is the chairman of the committee that considered the bill, presented the report during plenary.
8. Banditry and Kidnapping
New Strategy Needed To Arrest Renewed Mass Abductions – Sen Katung
By Isaiah Benjamin - Leadership
Senator representing Kaduna South Senatorial District, Distinguish Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, has called for a better response to resurgence of mass abductions of people, especially schoolchildren.
Katung said incidents of mass abductions were predictable, hence the need for a quick but strategic and emphatic response to the situation.
The lawmaker made the call in a statement yesterday, reacting to the recent abductions of about 500 persons in Kaduna State, including 287 schoolchildren at Kuriga LEA Primary School.
He expressed fear that if a better response to the security challenges is not adopted, the country will continue to deal with the aftermath of kidnappings, banditry, and criminalities in its communities.
9. Nigeria can’t survive current executive presidential system of government – Aregbesola warns
By Jerry Wright-Ukwu
Former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola has advocated the adoption of a Parliamentary system of government, adding that Nigeria cannot survive the current executive presidential system.
Aregbesola, former Osun Governor, added that Nigerians are united more by production.
He made his submissions during the National Constitutional Dialogue on Monday, March 18, organised in honour of the late renowned constitutional lawyer Prof. Ben Nwabueze.
10. Catholic Bishops Call On Tinubu To Release Nnamdi Kanu
They said the release of Kanu will open a pathway to economic prosperity and security in the South-East.
By Eyitope Kuteyi - Google News
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to use his good office to explore all civil remedies to release Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in the best interest of the South-East.
The call comes barely 24 hours after the IPOB leader’s bail application was rejected by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Most Reverend Lucius Ugorji, said this during the episcopal ordination of the Auxiliary Bishop of Orlu Diocese in Imo State on Wednesday.
According to Most Rev. Ugorji, the release of Kanu will pave the way to economic prosperity and security in the south east.
He added that his continued detention has been the major cause of insecurity in the South East, and the Monday sit-at-home has paralysed the economy of the South-East and by making many businesses lose billions of naira on a weekly basis