Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Wednesday, 3rd March, 2021

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Wednesday, 3rd March 2021

1. Buhari Holds National Security Council Meeting With Service Chiefs, Others

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday presided over the National Security Council meeting which held at the Council Chambers of the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.

Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno said Buhari (Rtd) ordered the nation’s security chiefs to recover all areas being occupied by insurgents, bandits, and kidnappers all over the country.

He said no sovereign nation will allow a group of non-state actors to bring it down to its knees and bring the state to panic, apprehension, distrust, and disorder.

“Therefore, both the defence and intelligence organizations have been charged that while we look forward to having a peaceful, non-kinetic resolution, we will not allow this country to drift into state failure,” Monguno said.

2. Nigeria Receives First Batch Of COVID-19 Vaccines

Nigeria on Tuesday received 3.94 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility, Naija News reports.

The NAFDAC-approved Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines arrived in the country around noon on Tuesday, via an Emirates airline.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, the National Coordinator of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, and the Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib were at Abuja International airport to receive the vaccines.

3. 2023: Fani-Kayode Reveals Two Zones That Should Produce Nigeria’s Next President

Former Minister for Aviation in Nigeria, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has advocated two geo-political zones that should be allowed to produce Nigeria’s next president in 2023.

According to Fani-Kayode in a statement on his Twitter account on Tuesday, all six geo-political zones in the country have produced heads of state with full executive powers except the Middle Belt and Southwest.

He, therefore, urged that these two zones be allowed to present candidates for the presidential position in 2023.

4. Some Nigerians Are Benefiting From Banditry, Terrorism – Lawan

Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has said that some Nigerians are benefiting from banditry and terrorism and that they need to be arrested immediately.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate after the new service chiefs were confirmed on Tuesday, Lawan said banditry has become a lucrative industry in the country.

He, however, lamented that kidnapping without a trace is not acceptable, urging the new service chiefs to rescue the country from criminals.

He said: “A situation whereby a group of people will go to a school and take over 300 students away on motorcycles is not accepted.

5. Buhari Declares Zamfara ‘No-Fly Zone’, Bans Mining Activities

Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, declared Zamfara a ‘no-fly zone’ and banned all mining activities in the state.

The National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen Babagaba Monguno, while announcing the development in Abuja noted that it is part of the measures to tackle the security challenges in the north-western state.

Monguno disclosed this after a five-hour National Security Council meeting presided over by Buhari at the Presidential Villa in the nation’s capital.

A no-fly zone, also known as a no-flight zone, or air exclusion zone, is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly.

He further stated that all non-state actors have been placed under surveillance as the Federal Government will not hesitate to use kinetic means to restore normalcy in the country.

6. Herdsmen: Wike, Fintiri Settle Rift Between Ortom, Bauchi Governor

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed, on Tuesday, settled their rift over their face-off on the herdsmen crisis rocking Nigeria.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State met with the two governors on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, and initiated reconciliation efforts.

A truce seemed to be reached after the meeting at Wike’s private residence in Port Harcourt with Ortom and Mohammed embracing each other.

7. EFCC Goes After Bola Tinubu For Corruption

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu has been called on by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to present his asset declaration documents from the Code of Conduct Bureau.

According to Peoples Gazette the development might see the former Governor of Lagos State prosecuted before the 2023 general elections.

EFCC in November 2020 asked CCB to share the details of Tinubu’s asset documents as part of an ongoing probe of the APC chieftain

The news platform noted that the request dated November 6, was a follow-up to previous demands made with respect to Mr. Tinubu’s asset filings.

8. Senate Confirms Service Chiefs’ Appointment

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of the new Service Chiefs following the consideration of the report of the Committee on Defence which recommended their confirmation.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, last Wednesday referred the request of President Muhammadu Buhari for confirmation of the new service chiefs, to the Committee on Defence.

Lawan gave the committee led by Senator Aliyu Wamakko, two weeks to carry out their assignments and report to the Senate in plenary.

The Senate confirmed their appointments at the committee of the whole and at plenary on Tuesday following the Wamakko report’s consideration

The new service chiefs are: Maj. Gen. Lucky Eluonye Onyenuchea lrabor as Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru (Chief of Army Staff); Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, (Chief of Naval Staff); and Air Vice Marshal Isiaka O. Amao as Chief of Air staff.

9. Bandits Release Kidnapped Zamfara Schoolgirls

The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, on Tuesday confirmed the release of the abducted schoolgirls kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Talatu-Mafara local government area of the state by bandits.

The state government disclosed that schoolgirls were released and they were released around 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

He said the 279 girls are currently at the Zamfara government house waiting to be reunited with their parents.

Recall that there was speculation about their release on Sunday, but the state government dismissed the report as fake news.

Governor Matawalle who took to his Twitter account to announce the release of the schoolgirls on Tuesday wrote, “Alhamdulillah! It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe from captivity. This follows the scaling of several hurdles laid against our efforts. I enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to rejoice with us as our daughters are now safe.”

10. Don’t Allow Abduction Of Our Children To Happen Again, Atiku Tells Buhari

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow the persistent abduction of schoolchildren in the country.

Naija News reports that the 279 schoolgirls of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State were released around 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday after been held in captivity for four days.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the former PDP presidential candidate expressed delighted at the release of the students.

He also rejoiced with the families of the students, the Zamfara State government, and all those who worked in synergy to secure the safe return of these girls.

Atiku prayed that the remaining girls would be released soon, adding that no student, parent, or indeed citizen should go through this ordeal again.

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