Tuesday Morning Briefing: 10 Important Stories from Nigerian Newspapers

Good morning!! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers;

1. The Defence Headquarters, DHQ has announced the successful rescue of Mrs Amina Abubakar, wife of the late Maj.-Gen Abubakar Rabe (Rtd.), former Director of Defence Information, after a fierce encounter between troops and bandits. The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen Samaila Uba said in a statement issued on Monday that the rescue was conducted during intensified search and rescue operations.

2. The Federal Government resumed the mass prosecution of terrorism suspects before a Federal High Court in Abuja after an earlier exercise in which about 500 were prosecuted. The exercise, which started on Monday is expected to last till Thursday. It was said to involve about 600 persons going out on trial. Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.

3. The Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC has shared a total of N2.257 trillion as the revenue generated in April among the Federal Government, the 36 states and the 774 local government areas across the country. FAAC approved the revenue allocation at its May meeting in Abuja.

4. Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC in Kano State, has chosen Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, biological son of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate. The young Kwankwaso is the immediate former Commissioner for Youths and Sports.

5. A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the deregistration of African Democratic Congress and four others for failing to meet the constitutional requirements for political parties in the country. In a judgement, Justice Peter Lifu ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregistered the affected parties having failed to secure 25 per cent of the votes in the last general elections in compliance with the provisions of the law.

6. The African Democratic Congress has chosen former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi as running mate to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar for 2027 presidential election. Amaechi’s emergence was sequel to extensive consultations and reflected his performance as runner-up in the ADC presidential primaries as well as his record in public service, the party said.

7. Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reduced the price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) by N75 per litre at the gantry. In a circular to fuel marketers on Monday, the refinery said the adjustment was due to the de-escalation of the tension in the Middle East which had affected energy prices in the past three months.

8. Joseph Okpe, 43, a commercial bus driver, has died after he was allegedly beaten by a group of officers of the Nigerian Air Force over a disagreement over a minor traffic incident involving their vehicle. It was learnt on Monday that the incident happened on May 9 along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, where the officers allegedly assaulted the deceased.

9. The Anambra State Police Command has arrested two suspects for allegedly producing and distributing adulterated alcoholic beverages in the state. The suspects, Ikechukwu Okeke, 42 and Okeke Chukwuemeka, 38, were arrested on Monday morning by the operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad/VCRU, following credible intelligence received by the police.

10. The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has condemned the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday which deregistered five political parties, describing it as an abuse of court process and direct violation of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal. The statement, issued in Osogbo on Monday, by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, read: