Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Saturday, 9th July, 2022

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Saturday, 9th July 2022.

Kuje Prison Attack: Of Sitting Ducks And Lame-duck Government

An earlier call by the Islamic State on its members and affiliates to work towards freeing their members in government prisons should have been enough signal for a sensible country buffeted by ISWAP to fortify its prisons or at least move terrorists being held in a medium-security prison to a secure facility. Not Nigeria and the lethargic government she has been yoked with. Aside from this warning in the public domain, Nigeria’s intelligence agencies maintained by the taxpayers should have more actionable intel on what terrorists in Nigeria were up to. Why their plot to carry out a brazen attack on a supposed fortified facility in the Federal Capital Territory was not averted is a tar that can never be washed off the current administration.

Assuming that the intelligence agencies failed to live up to their raison d’etre, how about the intelligence shared by Tukur Mamu, the media aide to Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, regarding the impending attack on Kuje Prison by Ansaru terrorists? Nigerians on Wednesday woke to the news that terrorists on Tuesday night bombed the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja. During the invasion of the facility guarded by dozens of soldiers, secret service operatives, police officers, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps personnel, the terrorists released 600 inmates. Reacting to the development, Defence Minister, Bashir Magashi, disclosed that all the 64 Boko Haram terrorists being held at the facility escaped. The Islamic State of West African Province Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) has since claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing a 30-second video clip of its gunmen setting ablaze vehicles parked on the premises.

Sanwo-Olu, Akeredolu, Fayemi, Other APC Leaders Visit Wike

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, and other chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday paid a visit to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State was among the APC leaders that visited the governor, with former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose also present.

Naija News reports that the APC leaders met with Wike at the private residence of the Rivers State governor in Port Harcourt.

The details of the closed-door meeting are not yet known, but it may not be unconnected with the 2023 presidential election.

2023: Peter Obi Officially Announces Running Mate

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has unveiled his running mate for the 2023 general election.

Naija News reports that Obi on Friday announced Senator Datti Baba Ahmed, a former presidential aspirant, as his running mate.

Speaking at the unveiling, Baba-Ahmed said he accepted to be Obi’s running mate because he believes in his capacity to make Nigeria live up to its billing.

He added he also trusts that Obi would not mismanage the nation’s wealth.

Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the founder of Baze University, Abuja, was announced as the LP vice-presidential candidate at the Labour Party’s national head quarters in Abuja on Friday.

The 46-year-old was a former lawmaker who represented Kaduna North Senatorial district.

2023: We Have Advised Tinubu To Pick A Muslim Running Mate And He Has Agreed – Ganduje Declares

The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje on Friday claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) may be fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential race.

According to Ganduje, the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu has been advised to pick a Muslim running mate and he has agreed.

The Kano State Governor made the disclosure while hosting about 100 Islamic clerics at the Kano state government house as part of activities to mark this year’s Eid El Kabir.

“We have advised him to pick a Muslim deputy and he has agreed,” Ganduje was quoted to have said.

Defending the position, the Governor argued that a Muslim-Muslim ticket is not new in Nigeria and citizens should accept the reality of what is coming.

Details Of Buhari’s Meeting With Service Chiefs, Ministers Emerge

The details of the emergency National Security Council meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday have emerged.

Naija News earlier reported that President Buhari met with service chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja following the attack on Kuje Prison in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and some cabinet ministers were present at the meeting.

Others at the meeting included Service Chiefs, the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (retd).

Also present were Ministers of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi; Defense, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd.); and Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao were also in attendance.

Kuje Prison: FG Sends Escaped Inmates Data To INTERPOL, Begins Manhunt

The Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government has begun uploading the biodata of terrorists and other criminals who escaped from the Kuje Medium Correctional Centre to the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) database.

Recall that members of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) had on Tuesday night attacked the facility freeing over 500 inmates, including top commanders of Boko Haram, Ansaru, and kidnap kingpin Wadume.

Speaking to The PUNCH on Thursday, the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, said details of most of the escapees had already been uploaded.

He said the NCoS had circulated the names, pictures, and other data of the inmates to other security agencies and border authorities.

Full List: Names Of Dreaded Boko Haram Terrorists That Escaped From Kuje Prison

The Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Tuesday night attacked the Kuje Maximum Correctional Centre freeing all 64 members of Boko Haram in the facility.

Naija News reports that 994 inmates fled during the attack, 115 refused to escape while 445 have been recaptured or turned themselves in to security agents.

It was gathered that as at Thursday 580 inmates were back in the facility with 414 of the escapees still missing.

Among the 64 Boko Haram terrorists that unfortunately escaped on Tuesday night is one Mustapha Umar, a man who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison by a Federal High Court in 2013 for bombing the Kaduna office of ThisDay newspapers.

Recall that Justice Adeniyi Ademola had ordered that Mustapha spend the rest of his life in jail for bombing the office of ThisDay using 12 camp gas cylinders in 2012.

According to The PUNCH, others who escaped include Yasir Salihu aka Dan Birni, a Boko Haram member who confessed to killing influential Kaduna cleric, Sheikh Auwal Albani, on the order of the late Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.

FG Releases Names, Pictures Of Boko Haram Terrorists Who Escaped From Kuje Prison (Full Details)

The federal government has disclosed the bio-data and photos of sixty-four (64) terrorists who escaped from the Kuje Medium Correctional Center in Abuja.

This is as they have all been declared wanted, Naija News reports.

According to the information made available to newsmen by the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Abubakar Umar, the escapees are members of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

He urged members of the public with useful information that can lead to the re-arrest of the fleeing inmates to contact the closest security agency.

It will be recalled that following Tuesday’s attack on the Kuje Prison facility by terrorists in which many inmates were set free and escaped, the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi disclosed that all the terrorists held in the Kuje facility have escaped.

879 of the 994 inmates in custody had escaped including some high profile terrorists and criminals. Officials said 64 of the escapees are members of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe Confirmed Dead After Shooting

Former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe has been confirmed dead after he was shot on Friday at a campaign event.

The development was confirmed by public broadcaster NHK and the Jiji news agency on Friday morning.

Naija News had earlier shared a video of the moment the former Japan PM was shot by a yet-to-be-identified man.

A man dressed in a grey shirt and brown trousers had approached from behind, before drawing something from a bag and firing.

At least two shots appear to be fired, each producing a cloud of smoke.

The video of the incident shows Abe collapsing on the street, with several security guards running toward him before he was rushed to a hospital.

2023: Wike’s Proposal To Atiku For Unity In PDP Revealed

The move by some stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party to substitute the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa for Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State as the party’s vice-presidential candidate has been rejected by Atiku Abubakar.

The stakeholders in the main opposition party had taken the step as a means of restoring unity in the party.

Governor Wike and his loyalists seem not in support of the presidential ambition of Atiku ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Recall that a committee given the responsibility of picking the party’s vice-presidential candidate picked Wike, but the former vice president ignored their recommendation and announced Okowa as his running mate.

The development has seen some governors and former governors in the party express their displeasure about the action of the party’s presidential candidate.

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