Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 19th January, 2024

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 19th January 2024.

1. Details Of Tinubu’s Meeting With Sharia Council Emerge

The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN) has commended President Bola Tinubu for taking hard decisions in the interest of the country.

Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with the president in Abuja on Thursday, the council’s vice-president, Bashir Umar, said Tinubu should hasten to ameliorate the hardship faced by Nigerians.

Umar said the same faith ticket on which Tinubu rode to victory in the 2023 polls has “fallen short of expectations”.

President Tinubu also received the Communique issued by the Council presented by a delegation of the SCSN led by its President, Sheikh Abdur-Rasheed Hadiyyatullah, at the State House Council Chambers.

2. Ibadan Explosion Death Toll Rises To Five – Oyo Govt

The Oyo state government on Thursday announced that the death tally from the explosion that shook Ibadan, Oyo state capital, on Tuesday, has risen to five.

Naija News reports that the explosion caused damage to numerous houses within a 14-kilometer radius.

Recall that Oyo governor, Seyi Makinde, had while speaking on the casualities of the explosion, disclosed that the death toll had risen to three.

However, giving an update on the casualties of the tragic explosion, the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security Matters Fatai Owoseni, disclosed that two more bodies have been recovered while speaking to Channels Television on Thursday.

3. Supreme Court Ruling: Tinubu Meets Ganduje, Kano APC Leaders In Aso Rock

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, met with a delegation of the leadership of the Kano State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naija News reports that the president met with the APC leaders behind closed doors at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The APC Chairman and former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, led the delegation, which arrived at the Villa in the company of his one-time deputy and the party’s candidate in the March 18 governorship election, Nasir Gawuna.

The agenda of the Thursday meeting was not made public, and those who attended did not speak with State House correspondents.

The meeting came barely a week after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as the duly elected governor of the state.

4. ‘Draconian Practice’ – Atiku Abubakar Reacts As Court Voids NBC’s Power To Fine Broadcast Stations

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has hailed the verdict of the Federal High Court Court declaring null and void, the actions of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in imposing fines on broadcast stations in the country.

Recall that the Federal Court in Abuja had on Wednesday nullified the power of the NBC to impose a fine on broadcasters in Nigeria.

According to a statement by Idowu Adewale, Communications Officer of Media Rights Agenda, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia delivered the judgment in a suit filed by the agency against NBC over the N5 million fine each imposed on Trust Television and three other broadcasters for airing a documentary on banditry in Nigeria.

An Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Uche Amulu, had filed the suit on behalf of MRA.

NBC had imposed a fine of N5 million on some media outlets on account of a documentary that pictures the parlous state of insecurity in Nigeria in the year 2022.

Reacting in a statement by his Media Office on Thursday, Atiku said that the ruling of the court is an enhancement of the constitutionally guaranteed rights to free speech.

Atiku said that the ruling of the Federal High Court on the dictatorial practices by the NBC will ensure that the media in Nigeria is not gagged and that the citizens can enjoy their rights to freedom of expression.

5. FG Relocates FAAN Headquarters From Abuja To Lagos

The federal government has ordered that the headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) be moved from Abuja to Lagos State.

This was disclosed in a memo dated 15th of January 2024, which was seen by newsmen on Thursday.

The memo issued by the Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, disclosed that the relocation is based on the directive of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.

The memo read: ”The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has directed that the Headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) should be relocated from Abuja to Lagos.

”Consequent upon the above, you are requested to provide the implication of the relocation to the management.”

6. How Buhari Reacted When Saraki, Dogara Became National Assembly Leaders – Adesina

A former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, has disclosed in his new book “Working with Buhari: Reflections Of A Special Adviser, Media And Publicity (2015 – 2023)” that Buhari was unhappy with the election of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as leaders of the National Assembly in 2015.

Adesina, in his book, delved into the events surrounding the election of Saraki as the Senate President and Dogara as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He described how President Buhari returned to Nigeria on June 9, 2015, from a G7 meeting in Germany, coinciding with the day scheduled for the National Assembly leadership election.

The book further reveals that a meeting was planned between President Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers at 10 a.m. before the commencement of the election.

This meeting was considered crucial for determining the party’s stance and strategy for the leadership election in the assembly.

7. Oyo Assembly Reveals Name Of Alleged Miner Behind Ibadan Explosion

The Oyo State House of Assembly has revealed the identity of the alleged mastermind behind the recent explosion in Ibadan as, Sawani Yusuf.

The nationality of Yusuf remains unconfirmed, but the Assembly has urged security agencies to step up efforts to apprehend everyone involved in the incident.

During a recent plenary session, the House addressed the matter following a motion titled “URGENT NEED FOR ALL REGULATORY AGENCIES TO ENFORCE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ESPECIALLY IN HANDLING AND STORING OF EXPLOSIVES (DYNAMITES) IN VIEW OF THE EXPLOSION THAT ROCKED OLD BODIJA AREA OF IBADAN ON TUESDAY, 16TH JANUARY, 2024,” presented by Adebayo Babajide, representing Ibadan North II.

The Majority Leader, Sanjo Adedoyin, revealed that the explosion originated from a property in the Dejo Oyelese area of Bodija, reportedly owned by Yusuf.

The Assembly expressed deep concern over how such explosives were brought and stored in a residential area, demanding clarity on who authorized the storage and questioning how the dynamites.

8. I Will Not Spare You If Caught Taking Bribe – Olukoyede Warns EFCC Investigators

The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has warned officials of the agency against taking bribes while investigating financial crimes.

The EFCC boss gave the warning on Thursday while speaking at the annual meeting held with staff of EFCC at the commission’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, on Thursday.

He condemned the hunger for bribes by some of the commission’s investigators, cautioning them to discontinue such under his leadership as anyone caught would not be spared.

9. FG Approves Increase In Electricity Tariff

The federal government of Nigeria has approved the implementation of a fresh hike in electricity tariff in the country.

The upward review was confirmed by the chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sanusi Garba, on Wednesday who said the new rates are effective from January 1, 2024.

He, however, added that the government has decided to continue to subsidize electricity this year, hence consumers may not feel the impact of the upward review in tariff because the government would be paying the differential.

Asked for how long the government will pay the subsidy, Garba said: “Any time the government takes a decision on subsidy, we will take it into consideration in our next tariff.

“In other words, even if there is an upward review of the cost of electricity, the government will be absorbing the increase for as long as it can.”

10. FG Increases Charges Against Emefiele From 6 To 20

The Federal Government of Nigeria has amended the charges against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, from six to twenty.

The amended charges were made public on Thursday, January 18, 2024, during a court appearance before Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court.

The charges against Emefiele now border on Criminal breach of trust, Forgery, Conspiracy to commit forgery, Procurement Fraud and Conspiracy to commit Felony.

At the resumed trial on Thursday, the counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo, said he had served the defence team with an amended charge.

Responding, Mathew Burkaa, Emefiele’s counsel, said he would need some time to study the new charge before his client could enter a plea.

The presiding judge thereafter adjourned the case to Friday, January 19.

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