Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 8th October, 2020

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Thursday, 8th October 2020

1. FG To Close Third Mainland Bridge For Three Days

President Muhammadu Buhari-led government on Wednesday disclosed that the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos will be shut down for three days.

According to Federal Government, the bridge will be totally closed from midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday to enable contractors carry out repairs on the bridge.

The development was revealed by the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola.

Popoola while speaking on the reason for the closure noted that the bridge has gotten to a point where should be no movement or vibration on the bridge for concrete casting.

“The first total closure of the section of the bridge between Adekunle and Adeniji Adele will be from midnight of Friday, 9th October 2020 to midnight of Sunday, 11th October 2020 to enable the contractor finish the first stage of casting works,” the statement read.

2. Senate President Ahmad Lawan Rejects Scrapping Of SARS

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has kicked against scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), as he called for investigations into the alleged attacks by the unit.

This is coming amidst widespread protest against the activities of SARS officers in the country.

He made this known while speaking on Wednesday as lawmakers deliberated a motion on the recent extrajudicial killings carried out by a security personnel attached to the controversial Nigerian police unit. Lawan said some good personnel in the police unit might be denied the opportunity to perform better if it is scrapped.

Ahmad Lawan said;

“I think that this is the situation that should be properly investigated. Those involved in recent incident should be arrested and prosecuted. The law should take its due course. This is not acceptable. Nigerians need to know what happened to those who have killed Nigerians.

“There are good people and bad people in SARS. Scrapping of agencies when you have mistakes may not be the best position. Rule of law should be put in place.

“If you scrap SARS, you lose the chance of getting those doing well to continue to do well.

3. Kaduna Govt Announces Nuhu Bamali As New Emir Of Zazzau

The Kaduna State Government has announced Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as the new Emir of Zazzau.

His appointment as a replacement for the late Alhaji Shehu Idris who died on Sunday, 20th September was announced by the government on Wednesday, 7th October.

His appointment was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday signed by Ja’afaru Ibrahim Sani, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs.

According to a statement by the government of Kaduna, Alhaji Bamalli is from the Mallawa ruling house and he is the first emir from the Mallawa ruling house in 100 years following the demise in 1920 of his grandfather, Emir Dan Sidi.

The new Emir who was born in 1966, studied Law at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He holds Masters degree in International Relations and Diplomacy and a Diploma in organizational leadership from Oxford University, UK. He is also a fellow on conflict resolution of the University of York, United Kingdom.

4. FEC Approves $3.02bn For Reconstruction Of Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway – Amaechi

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Wednesday noted that the Federal Executive Council has approved the award of contracts for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern narrow-gauge railway, with new branch lines and trans-shipment facilities.

The former Governor of Rivers State, stated this while speaking to State House correspondents after the FEC meeting on Wednesday.

President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the meeting at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Amaechi added that the council also approved the construction of a new deep seaport in Bonny, under the Private-Public- Partnership (PPP) programme and the construction of an Industrial railway park in Port Harcourt.

5. Two Federal Lawmakers Dump PDP For APC

The Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday lost two of its members in the House of Representatives to the All Progressives Congress.

The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the plenary, read the letters from Mr Ephraim Nwuzi, who is representing Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in Rivers State, and Mr David Abel representing Gashaka/Kurmi/Sardauna Federal Constituency in Taraba State, on the floor of the house.

Following the development in the house, Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu; Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu; and leader of the PDP caucus, Kingsley Chinda, called on the Speaker to declare their seats vacant as there were no crises in the PDP in the defectors’ respective states.

Gbajabiamila,

The Speaker, however, described the PDP leaders as hypocrites, he noted that the former Minority Leader in the previous assemblies also protested against defections to the PDP but his arguments were dismissed.

He further stated that the opposition failed to lay the foundation of sanctioning illegal defections while in power.

6. President Buhari Signs Agreement With USA, 3 Other Countries

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the instruments of ratification of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United States of America, India, Morocco and Rwanda.

This was made known in a post on Twitter on Tuesday by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.

Naija News reports that the Bilateral Air Service Agreements are pacts signed between nations to simplify international commercial air transport services between territories.

“I am glad to announce that Mr President, on behalf of Nigeria, has signed the instruments of ratification of the bilateral air service agreement between Nigeria and USA, India, Morocco as well as Rwanda,” he tweeted.

7. Minister Confirms When UAE Will Begin Issuing Visa To Nigerians

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has confirmed that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will resume the issuance of Visas to intending Nigerian travelers from the 8th of October 2020.

Sirika confirmed the development in a post on his Twitter handle on Tuesday.

The tweet read; “UAE confirmed that they will begin issuance of Visas from 8th of October, 2020. Travelers to have a return ticket, hotel booking, negative PCR result & a Health insurance (similar to Schengen requirement). Health insurance can be paid through travel agents/airlines.”

It will be recalled that the federal government had in September, announced that it was lifting the ban on the operations of Emirates Airlines in the country.

8. Edo State Speaker, Six Other Lawmakers Defect To PDP

The Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Frank Abumere Okiye and six other members of the Edo Assembly, on Tuesday formally defected from the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) to the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on the floor of the house.

Okiye who announced the defection at plenary session added that he had received letters from the six members including himself, expressing their desires to decamp to the ruling party in the state so as to identify with the developmental strides of Governor Godwin Obaseki to move Edo State forward.

The speaker relied on what he termed the sharp divisions and factions in the All Progressive Congress Party (APC) in the state as one of the reasons they decided to cross to PDP, to enable them to perform their duties effectively as representative of their constituencies.

Those who formally decamped are Rt. Hon Frank Okiye, Hon. Asoro Osadebamwen Roland. Hon. Aluebhosele Ephraim; Hon. Ojiezele Osezua Sunday; Hon. Okhuarobor Henry. Hon. Okoduwa Emma and Hon. Marcus Onobun.

9. Senate To EFCC: Complete Investigations Before Arrest, Stop Media Trial

The Nigeria Senate has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conculde ninety per cent of investigation before arrest.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, Suleiman Kwari, made this known on Tuesday while speaking at the commencement of the 9th Senate Legislative Anti Corruption Strategy Implementation Session.

Kwari while calling for a new, reformed and rebranded EFCC, urged the anti-graft agency to stop all media hype.

According to the Senate committee chairman, lawmakers are determined to ensure a constant flow of information and engagement between the Senate and the EFCC.

Speaking at the session, the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mohammed Umar Abba, asked the Senate committee to back the anti-corruption agency..

On the whistle-blowing policy of the federal government, Abba said some members of the public had turned it to a tool for settling personal scores.

10. Northern Elders’ Forum DG, Yima Sen Is Dead

John Yima Sen, the Director-General of the Northern Elders’ Forum has passed on at the age of 69.

The senior academic at Baze University in Abuja, died at the Garki Hospital in Abuja on Tuesday evening. October 6.

A statement released by The Coalition of Northern Groups read;

“The coalition wishes to extend its condolence to His family, The Northern Elders Forum, Baze University, the people of Benue and the country at large. His death has certainly created a huge vacuum in the hierarchy of northern mentorship and patriotism. As he sleeps on, we pray the family gets the fortitude to bear the pains of the loss.”

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