Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Wednesday, 10th March, 2021

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Wednesday, 10th March 2021

1. Buhari Inaugurates Rehabilitation Of The Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway Line

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway line will revive economic rehabilitation projects in the north-eastern part of the country which has been devastated by insecurity.

President Buhari made the announcement on Tuesday at the inauguration of three projects namely the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway, Bonny Port and Port Harcourt Industrial Station.

The president said the country’s goal was to provide transportation and improve railways to ensure easy transport between West African countries.

At the same time, the president said these projects would create more jobs for Nigerians.

He also said the projects would generate revenue for the federal government.

2. Minimum Wage: NLC Announces Nationwide Protest

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has scheduled a nationwide protest for Wednesday, 10 March over moves by the National Assembly to remove the Minimum Wage from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List.

Naija News understands the removal will allow state governments to determine what they want to pay their workers without regard to the national minimum wage.

The NLC and its allies have however rejected such plans and have scheduled a protest to drive home their claims.

According to a statement on Tuesday from the NLC headquarters in Abuja, the protest will start from the Unity Fountain Abuja at 7:30 am and proceed to the National Assembly complex.

3. Christian Soldiers: Ahmad Gumi Breaks Silence On Military’s Statement

Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, on Tuesday said there was religious bias in the Nigerian Army between 2010 and 2015 and not in this present military.

Recall that Gumi during a meeting with bandits in Tegina forest had accused Christian soldiers of killing and attacking Muslim bandits.

He said, “What I want you people to understand is soldiers that are involved in most of the criminalities are not Muslims. You know, soldiers have Muslims and none Muslims. The non-Muslims are the ones causing confusion just to ignite a crisis.”

Naija News had earlier reported that the spokesman of the Army, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Yerima, while reacting to the statement on Monday said the security agency did not deploy its troops based on ethnic or religion as implied by the Islamic cleric.

Yerima also warned Gumi against making divisive and disparaging utterances against the military institutions.

4. 2023: Presidency, APC Cabals Identifies Amosun As Running Mate For Malami

There are speculations that powerful politicians in the presidency and the All Progressives Congress are planning to pair the former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, to run as Vice-President with the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami as the President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor in 2023.

According to SaharaReporters, the ruling party are planning to play the card of their being relatively young before Nigerians.

It was disclosed that the cabal with the ongoing membership revalidation exercise and the ongoing probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has weakened the influence of the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu.

5. How Buhari Plans To Spend Fresh £4.2m Ibori Loot – Malami

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has explained how the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration plans to spend the £4.2 million loot of ex-Delta Governor James Ibori.

Naija News reports that the Nigerian and UK government had on Tuesday finalized the agreement on repatriating the loot.

Speaking at the ceremony, AGF Malami said the loot would be used for the completion of ongoing work on 2nd Niger Bridge, Abuja to Kano and Lagos Ibadan expressways.

6. Ondo: Akeredolu Suspends NURTW Activities

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has announced the indefinite suspension of activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ondo State.

Naija News reports that the suspension was announced on Tuesday newsmen by the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The Ondo State governor also ordered members of the union to vacate Motor parks in the state immediately.

Akeredolu said an investigation will be conducted and all the perpetrators of the crisis will be brought to book.

The suspension of NURTW activities is following the clash between factions of the commercial drivers union.

7. Hijab Controversy: National CAN Tackles Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq

The National leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called out the Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq over the recent policy by his administration on the wearing of hijab by female students in public schools.

The State government had recently ordered that all Muslim female students in public schools including Christian grant-aided schools in the state must be allowed to wear hijab as part of their uniforms.

The directive has however generated a lot of controversies with the Christian body in the state including the proprietors of such grant-aided schools firmly rejecting the position of the state government.

They described the policy as a move to technically Islamize affected schools.

The national CAN leadership has also waded into the matter and called on the Governor to immediately reverse his order on the use of hijabs.

CAN in a statement on Tuesday signed by its general secretary, Joseph Bade Daramola questioned the hasty decision by the state government, reminding it that the matter is already in court.

8. Confusion, Panic In CCB As Bola Tinubu Case File ‘Disappears’ From Vault

Officials at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) are in panic mode after records relating to former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu’s asset declaration suddenly disappeared from the storage facility that has held them for years.

The disappearance of the case file might frustrate corruption investigation into Tinubu’s asset by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

It was gathered that the CCB started looking for Tinubu’s asset filings after the EFCC requested copies as part of an ongoing investigation into the former Lagos governor’s financial and material possessions.

9. Police Release OPC Members Detained Over Wakili’s Arrest

The Oyo State Police Command has released the three members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) arrested and detained over the arrest of suspected Fulani warlord, Iskilu Wakili.

Naija News reports that the OPC members named Dauda Kazeem, Awodele Adedigba, and Ramon Hassan were released following the intervention of the state governor, Seyi Makinde, and the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams.

The local security men were released on Tuesday at Iyaganku police station around 5.40pm after there were detained shortly after they handed over Wakili to the Police in Igbo Ora.

It was gathered that the OPC members were released in the presence of Oyo Coordinator of OPC Comrade Rotimi Oguntunde a.k.a. Olumo, Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Culture and Tourism, Hon. Ademola Akeem Ige and OPC lawyer.

10. National Assembly Is Not Broke, Not Owing Any Staff – Senate

The Senate has described reports that it is broke and owing Assembly workers their salaries as false and baseless.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Senate spokesman, Senator Ajibola Basiru said that the National Assembly is not broke and not owing any of its staff.

Bashiru noted that the Red Chamber does not require money before it could sit, adding that the Senate does not need to rely on the executive to fund their activities especially the oversight functions of the lawmakers.

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