Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Monday, 24th August, 2020

Good morning, Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Monday, 24th August 2020

1. Police Re-arrest Escaped Oyo Suspected Serial Killer

The Nigeria police have re-arrested Sunday Shodipe, the prime suspect in the serial killings in the Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State.

Shodipe’s re-arrest was confirmed on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi.

According to the police spokesperson, the suspect has been kept in safer custody.

Naija News reports that the suspected Ibadan serial killer, Sunday Shodipe, had escaped police custody. The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had dispatched additional investigative aids to Oyo State, including crack detectives to track down the fleeing serial killer.

2. Dogara Breaks Silence On Contesting 2023 Election With Tinubu

Yakubu Dogara, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has denied plotting to contest the 2023 election as a running mate to Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Recall that Dogara had recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Following his defection, the media was awash with reports that Dogara was plotting a joint ticket with Tinubu to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

Reacting in a statement on Sunday, Dogara’s spokesperson, Turaki Hassan, advised the public to disregard such report.

He accused Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State of being behind the reports to disparage the person of Yakubu Dogara.

3. Babachir Lawal Reveals Major Role Bola Tinubu Played In ‘Packaging’ Buhari For Nigerians

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, says the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, played a major role in packaging then-candidate Muhammadu Buhari to win the 2015 presidential election.

Naija News reports that Lawal who was sacked as SGF in October 2017 after he was indicted in N544m grass-cutting scandal, made this comment while speaking on the issue of zoning of the 2023 presidency in an interview with The Punch.

The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation said it was Tinubu, a two-time governor of Lagos State, who raised funds for the APC to defeat the then President, Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in 2015.

Lawal said before the 2015 elections, “Nigerians saw Buhari as just a wood” but Tinubu brought in consultants from the US – the firm behind the successful execution of President Barrack Obama’s campaign to help “repackage Buhari to Nigerians.”

4. Senate Minority Leader Reports Ghana To ECOWAS, Wants Attack On Nigerians Stopped

 

Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe has condemned the recent attack on some Nigerian traders in Ghana.

Abaribe lamented that Ghana by its recent action has turned on Nigeria, a country he described as the ally of the fellow West African nation.

The Senator in a statement on Sunday by his spokesman, Uchenna Awom described the action by authorities in Ghana as xenophobic attacks against Nigerians.

Naija News recalls Ghanaian officials recently locked up shops belonging to Nigerian traders in Accra and demanded they pay over $1million equity as stipulated by the Ghana Investment Promotions Council before their businesses can be reopened.

Abaribe added that the action by the Ghanaians negates the protocols and agreement that exists between member states of the Economic Community of West African Countries (ECOWAS).

5. Atiku Advised To Shelve 2023 Presidency Ambition

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been advised to drop his plans of contesting the 2023 presidential elections as northern leaders want the presidency to return to the south.

Olusegun Bamgbose, Esq., National Coordinator, Concerned Advocates for Good Governance (CAGG) made this known in an interview with Daily Post.

He stated that Northern politicians such as Tanko Yakassai, Paul Nnongo, Balarabe Musa, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Senate President Ahmed Lawal and others have spoken the minds of the people in the region.

Bamgbose, who himself is a presidential hopeful, advised the Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to respect the wishes of northern leaders.

He said: “Tanko Yakassai, Paul Nnongo, Balarabe Musa, Governor El-Rufai, Ahmed Lawal and others will forever be respected and reckoned with, in the scheme of things,” Bamgbose said in a chat on Sunday.

6. Kaduna Government Takes Bishop To Court For Saying Governor El-Rufai Will Never Be Nigeria’s President

Governor Nasir El-Rufai-led government has arraigned the Bishop of Zaria Diocese, Anglican Communion, Abiodun Ogunyemi, in court for saying the Kaduna State Governor will never be Nigeria President.

The cleric made the statement in November 2019 over the demolition of churches in Kaduna State.

Ogunyemi called on the Kaduna State governor to stop embarrassing himself with the demolition of churches in any part of the State.

The cleric stated that any attempt to demolish shops or properties in Sabongari Market is evil, callous and wicked and will be associated with the wrath of God.

The cleric was arraigned before a chief magistrate’s court in Kaduna on charges bordering on criminal defamation, injurious falsehood, and criminal intimidation The Cable reports.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him and was granted bail by the court. A member of the Kaduna Synod and a canon of the Cathedral Church of St Michael, Kaduna, stood in as surety.

However, Director of Public Prosecutions, who led the state legal team, told the court that there were ongoing consultations, which could lead to a peaceful resolution of the case.

The magistrate adjourned the case until October 28, 2020, for continuation.

7. Buhari Govt Scared After I Exposed Evil CAMA Law – Bishop Oyedepo

Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, has mocked the Muhammadu Buhari administration over the controversial Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA).

Recall that Bishop Oyedepo had last Sunday kicked against CAMA that was recently signed into law by President Buhari.

It is understood that the law gives permission for the registrar-general of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and a supervising minister to oversee religious bodies and charity organizations.

Reacting to Oyedepo’s stand, the presidency noted that the cleric will have to live by the laws in Nigeria or manufacture his own country.

Speaking on Sunday during his service at Canaanland, Ogun State, Oyedepo said the federal government has been gyrating since he released the CAMA bomb.

8. Dethroned Kano Emir Sanusi Storms Kaduna

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the dethroned Emir of Kano, on Sunday arrived Kaduna State more than five months after his ouster by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Naija News reports that this would be Sanusi’s first visit to the north since his dethronement on March 9, 2020.

Thousands of residents on Sunday morning thronged to the Air Force base in Kaduna to welcome him.

Some of them displayed 2023 campaign posters with his photograph on their vehicles.

Sanusi’s last time in Kaduna was during the 60th birthday celebration of Governor Nasir Ahmad Elrufai.

9. How I Escaped From Police Custody – ‘Ibadan Serial Killer’, Sunday Shodipe

Suspected Ibadan serial killer, Sunday Shodipe, has narrated how he escaped from Mokola Police Station in Ibadan, Oyo State on Tuesday.

Naija News reports that the suspected serial killer who was rearrested by the Oyo State Police Command earlier today, said a female Divisional Police Officer, who was recently deployed to the station ordered one officer (Funsho) to allow him to take his bath.

Shodipe said the police officer warned him not to make any attempt to escape while taking his bath, adding that he was not even thinking of running away at that point. He disclosed that he finally escaped when he saw that the officer was engrossed in a discussion with another person and not paying attention to him.

10. Edo 2020: We Will Tame The ‘Lions And Tigers’ In Edo State – Obaseki Blows Hot

The Governor Of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki has vowed that all those planning to cause violence before, during, and after the 2020 governorship election in the state will be dealt with.

Obaseki made the declaration on Sunday at his ward Opoji, Esan Central Local Government Area.

Naija News reports Obaseki is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state governorship election fixed for September 19, 2020.

He said he has received intelligence reports by some unscrupulous elements to cause trouble by hiding under the cover of the forthcoming governorship polls.

The Governor warned that political thugs and other criminal elements will not be allowed to overrun the state, adding that his party, the PDP will not “succumb to threats” and urged PDP members and supporters to remain steadfast.

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