Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 21st August, 2020

Good morning, Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Friday, 21st August 2020

1. Buhari Approves N13b For The Take-off Of Community Policing In Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the sum of N13b for the take-off of community policing in Nigeria as part of efforts to secure Nigerians.

This was disclosed on Thursday evening by Mr. Laoulu Akande, Senior Special Assistant – Media and Publicity to Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.

The development is part of agreements reached during the virtual National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday presided over by Prof Osinbajo.

The Vice President at the meeting, mandated state governors, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF Boss Mustapha, the Finance Minister and the IG of Police to work out details of how the fund will be utilized.

2. CAMA: CAN Rejects Plans To Control Churches

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has rejected the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Naija News reports that the bill which has been passed by the National Assembly replaced the 1990 CAMA.

In a statement signed on Thursday by Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant on Media and Communications to CAN President, Rev Samson Ayokunle, the association stated that the bill would snuff life out of the church and rank the church as a secular institution under secular control.

CAN describe as “satanic”, section 839 (1) and (2) of the law which empowers the supervising minister “to suspend trustees of an association (in this case, the church) and appoint the interim managers to manage the affairs of the association for some given reasons.”

The group also stated that the Buhari administration has declared war on the church if it carried on with the implementation of the law.

3. COVID-19: United Kingdom Offers Free Visas Replacement For Nigerians

The British High Commission in Nigeria has promised to replace for free, the 30-day visa of individuals that were supposed to travel to the UK before the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

It said the free visa replacement which will be open till December 2020, covers those who will be travelling to the UK for work, study or to join their families.

This was contained in a statement by the Commission on Thursday titled, ‘Update on VAC Services From The BHC Nigeria’ posted on its verified Twitter handle, @UKinNigeria.

The statement read in part, “As a result of the disruptions to travel caused by COVID-19, we are experiencing high demand for replacement vignettes for 30-day visas to travel to the UK for work, study or to join family.

4. Arotile’s Death: 2 Suspects Regain Freedom, One Charged For Culpable Homicide

A Magistrate Court sitting in Kaduna on Thursday, freed two of the suspects involved in the death of Nigeria’s first female fighter helicopter, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile.

The suspects set free by the Magistrate Court are Folorunsho Igbekele Faith and Gbayegun Deji, the second and third suspects in the case.

However, Nehemiah Adejor who drove the car that killed Arotile on that fateful day, is now to be charged for culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy in the State High Court on September 3, 2020. He is the first suspect in the case.

Prosecution counsel, DSP Martins Leo had told the court presided over by Magistrate Benjamin Hassan that the Police investigation did not find anything against the 2nd and 3rd suspects.

Ruling on the motion, Magistrate Benjamin Hassan discharged Folorunsho Igbekele Faith and Gbayegun Deji, based on the Police investigation report.

5. President Buhari Reacts, Condemns Military Coup In Mali

President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, broke his silence about the military coup in Mali which saw soldiers arrest Malian president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé.

It will be recalled Malian President, Keita and his Prime Minister, Cissé, were “arrested” late Tuesday afternoon in Bamako by mutiny Soldiers supporting the opposition.

On Wednesday, Keita announced his resignation and also dissolved the country’s parliament.

Reacting to the developments in a statement on Thursday, President Buhari condemned the military takeover and called for the restoration of constitutional order in the West African country.

He also supported the restrictions imposed on Mali by the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) and called on other international bodies to put more pressure to ensure the speedy return of democracy in the country.

6. Police Announce N500,000 Bounty On Escaped “Ibadan Serial Killer”, Sunday Shodipe

The Police Command in Oyo State has announced a N500,000 reward for anyone who can provide information that can lead to the re-arrest of a wanted suspect, Sunday Shodipe.

The Police Command in a statement on Thursday by its public relations officer, Mr. Gbenga Fadeyi urged members of the public with useful information on the case to contact the nearest police station.

Naija News recalls the 19-year-old Shodipe escaped from police custody on Tuesday, 11th August, 2020. He is a prime suspect in a series of killings in Akinyele area of Oyo state.

7. NDDC Probe: EFCC Has Not Invited Me For Questioning – Akpabio

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday noted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has not invited him for questioning over the probe of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The former Lawmaker stated this in a statement released through his Media Aide, Mr. Anietie Ekong, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ekong in the statement revealed that the commission has not forwarded invitation letter to his principal concerning the financial dealings of the commission.

Ekong said: “My boss is yet to be invited. I don’t think the EFCC letter expressly stated that the minister is being investigated. It didn’t state that.”

8. NBA Bows To Pressure, Drops El-Rufai From Its List Of Conference Speakers

 

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has announced that Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai will no longer be speaking at its conference.

The NBA made the development known in a tweet on Thursday via its Twitter handle @NigBarAssoc.

The tweet read, “The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association at its ongoing meeting resolves that the invitation to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir El-Rufai, by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning committee be withdrawn and the decision communicated to the Governor.”

Naija News reports the decision follows the outcry from some lawyers and Nigerians who threatened to boycott the conference after it was discovered Governor El-Rufai will be speaking during the 2020 Annual General Conference of the NBA.

9. Nigeria Has Never Witnessed This Level Of Insecurity Apart From During Civil War – Buhari Ex-Minister

The former Minister of Agriculture under the President Muhammadu Buhari government, Audu Ogbe on Wednesday noted that insecurity under the current administration has never been this worse apart from during the civil war.

The newly inaugurated Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), stated this on Wednesday at the maiden meeting of the newly elected National Working Committee (NWC) of ACF.

The former Minister further stated that the northern part of Nigeria is facing the problems of killings day and night which are greater than ever, except in 1966.

The former Minister said, “We have not faced this challenge before: Killings day and night. At no time has life been so tough except during the civil war.”

10. Bauchi Commerce Commissioner Resigns, Dumps PDP For APC

Bauchi State Commissioner of Commerce and Industry, Mohammed Alhassan Sadiq, has resigned his appointment.

Naija News reports that the former Commissioner also dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and followed a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It was gathered that Sadiq submitted his resignation letter to Governor Bala Mohammed during the State Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday at the Banquet Hall of the Government House.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.