Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Sunday, 24th October, 2021

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Sunday, 24th October 2021.

IPOB Threatens To Lockdown South-east If Nnamdi Kanu Is Not Released November 4

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Saturday vowed to lockdown the South-east region if the federal government failed to unconditionally release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, from detention by November 4.

IPOB through its Eastern Security Network is known for enforcing a sit-at-home protest in south-eastern states in show of solidarity with Kanu who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since July.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday rejected Kanu’s request to be moved to Kuje Correctional Service Centre and adjourned his trial till November 10.

In a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB said it will honour Kanu with the fresh lockdown, which will be enforced between November 5 and 10, except on Sunday, November 7, to allow for Church service.

How Bandits Attacked Oyo Prison To Set Free Notorious Terrorists Iskilu Wakili

Reports have emerged claiming the attack on the Abolongo correctional facility, Oyo town in Oyo State was carried out by bandits to set free a Fulani warlord.

Naija News gathered that attackers stormed the facility around 10pm on Friday night bearing weapons and deployed grenades to gain access.

According to multiple sources and reports, all the prisoners in the facility were set free even as the warders keeping watch on the inmates scampered for safety when the gunmen attacked.

It was gathered that the gunmen had three days before the Friday attack, struck in Ogbomoso, a neighbouring town to Oyo.

IPOB: Buhari Govt Sends Message To Friendly Nations Over Nnamdi Kanu, Warns Others

The government of President Muhammadu Buhari says there are countries helping Nnamdi Kanu, “in his destructive mission” while there are friendly others which has either banned IPOB activities or placed Kanu on ‘Stop List’.

The Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Friday, expressed the appreciation of the Nigerian government to the “friendly nations”, and called on those “ignoring the terrorist nature of his activities” to desist from such.

Without mentioning the countries aiding Kanu and his Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Malami said, “We call on these countries to desist from aiding subversive acts by Kanu and IPOB against the state of Nigeria and its people.”

Unknown Gunmen Attack Oyo Prison Facility, Free Prisoners

Unknown gunmen have launched an attack against the Abolongo correctional facility located in Oyo, Oyo State.

Naija News gathered that attackers stormed the facility around 10pm on Friday night bearing weapons and deployed grenades to gain access.

According to multiple sources and reports, all the prisoners in the facility were set free even as the warders keeping watch on the inmates scampered for safety when the gunmen attacked.

FBN Holdings Speaks On Femi Otedola’s Acquisition Of First Bank

Following yesterday’s rife report that billionaire investor, Femi Otedola, has acquired the majority shares of First Bank Nigeria Limited, FBN Holdings Plc has come out to state that it has not received the notification of such acquisitions.

Otedola was said to have been acquiring the shares of the bank through a vehicle, Calvados Global Services Limited. It is also likely that there could be other vehicles associated with Otedola who may have also been mopping up shares.

Naija News understands that FBNH currently has 34.7 billion of its shares floating freely meaning it is held by diverse shareholders. This makes the shares easy to acquire on the stock exchange.

Mr President, Nigerian Media Know When To Use ‘Declining Insecurity’

President Muhammadu Buhari stirred the hornet’s nest on Monday when he used his Eid-el-Maulud message to enjoin “the media to address the tone, content, and standards of reporting into security and safety measures. Time has come to revise the prefixes ‘rising insecurity’ with ‘declining insecurity’.” This came on the heels of a report by the Wall Street Journal that the Nigerian government paid the sum of N20 million to a bandit leader to secure a 12.7 calibre anti-aircraft gun in exchange for the payment.

WSJ alleged that the Air Force struck the deal amid plans by the President to visit his home state of Katsina, which has been ravaged by the activities of bandits in the Northwest. In line with their propensity for self-censorship, respectable Nigerian media platforms watered down the story, avoided it, or even anchored on the Nigerian Air Force denial of the foreign newspaper’s weighty allegation.

NAF Bombs Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorists To Death During Meeting In Lake Chad Region

The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that many Boko Haram fighters have been killed by its fighter jets while they were planning a meeting in the Lake Chad region.

According to a statement on Saturday by the Director of NAF Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, about 20 boats conveying Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists to the meeting were destroyed in the airstrike.

Each of the boats was said to have contained 5-7 terrorists.

Gabkwet said the airstrikes were carried out by troops under Operation Hadin Kai based on credible and actionable intelligence made available to them.

Biafra: Nigeria Security Agents Have Killed Over 20,000 IPOB Members – Powerful

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused the federal government through the various security agencies of killing over 20,000 of its members.

IPOB added that the government is the one sponsoring the activities of unknown gunmen but trying to blame the group so as to find an excuse against it.

It also denied any form of involvement in sponsoring the #EndSARS protests which rocked Nigeria last year, noting that they’ve also been victims of government ineptitudes.

These, the proscribed group through a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful said in response to the allegation by the federal government that it is responsible for the attacks on 164 police stations as well as the killing of 175 security operatives in the southeast region.

Malami Wants To Send Tucano Jets To Bomb Southeast – Ohanaeze

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has accused the federal government of plans to deploy the newly acquired Tucano jets to the South-East.

According to the group, the move is been spearheaded by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

Ohanaeze in a statement by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro said the federal government is working assiduously to convince the world that terrorists have taken over the southeast so it can then invade the region with the fighter jets and eliminate the Igbos.

Revealed! Why Super Tucano Fighter Jets Can’t Be Deployed Against IPOB

The newly acquired Super Tucano fighter aircraft is only expected to be deployed in the northern part of Nigeria to tackle Boko Haram, ISWAP and other terrorists groups.

It was gathered that the jets cannot be deployed to the southeast despite the designation of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as a terrorist organisation and the setting up of the armed Eastern Security Network.

The United States Government has disclosed that the Federal Government is expected to deploy the Super Tucano aircraft against insurgency in the north.

Speaking to newsmen, the US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor, Jonathan Finer, at an event attended by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said this was part of an agreement reached with the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration before the sale of the jets to the country.

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