DAILY NEWSPAPERS REVIEW MONDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2020

MALAMI, APC TACKLE INEC, SPEAKER OVER CERTIFICATE OF RETURN – THISDAY PG.5

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have faulted the former Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, over what they labelled as the wrongful issuance of the certificate of return by INEC to Hon.

Abdulsalam Mubarak representing Bali/Gassol Federal Constituency of Taraba State. An insider in a seemingly legal struggle, told THISDAY that in a letter with reference number: SGF/PS/PGC/200/TII dated July 14, 2020, addressed to the speaker and INEC Chairman, the Office of AGF had requested the reinstatement and swearing-in of Hon. Garba Hamman Julde as a member of House of Representatives representing the constituency having been duly sponsored and elected.

P&ID: IRISHMAN INVOLVED IN €8BN NIGERIAN COURT BATTLE CAUGHT UP IN ALLEGED ARMS DEAL – THISDAY PG.41

One of the founders of Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID), an Irish-owned company in a $10 billion legal battle with Nigeria in the British courts, Mr. Brendan Cahill, has been caught up in an alleged illegal arms deal that led to a jail sentence for a business associate. UK-based online newspaper, the Independent, reported that Gary Hyde, a weapons dealer, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment over his role in the deal.

SALAMI REPORT: WHY THE SILENCE ON FINDINGS AGAINST MAGU – SUN PG.17

Barely a week ago, Justice Salami-led presidential panel investigating allegations against the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, submitted its report to President Muhammadu Buhari without making its findings public. Since then, there have been uneasy silence in the country on the issue – no one is  saying anything or  asking  the panel to disclose if indeed Magu was found wanting,  in any way,  concerning all the allegations stacked against him.  Is this a conspiracy of silence or brickwall mounted by a biting conscience?

MY DETENTION WILL OF GOD – NDUME – DAILY TRUST PG.32

Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) has said that he now knows the value and landmark former president Goodluck Jonathan left behind in the country. The lawmaker spoke at the weekend during the grand opening of Dr PhysiQ Specialist Centre for Wellness and Medical Lifestyle Change, and launching of a book titled ‘Everything Heals’ authored by Dr Susana Adams, the CEO of the centre.

GRASS-CUTTING FRAUD: EFCC RE-ARRAIGNS EX-SGF LAWAL TODAY – PUNCH PG.13

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will today (Monday) re-arraign a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and six others, for an alleged fraudulent N544m grass-cutting contract, The PUNCH has learnt. This will be the second re-arraignment of the defendants, who were first arraigned before the late Justice Jude Okeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja on February 13, 2019.

BORNO MASSACRE – DEATH TOLL HITS 110 AS 43 BURIED – DAILY TRUST PG.5NATION PG.1&5, THISDAY PG.9, SUN PG.6, PUNCH PG.2

The number of rice farmers slaughtered by Boko Haram fighters on Saturday at Koshobe village near Maiduguri has hit 110, the United Nations Office in Nigeria, said Sunday hours after 43 of the victims were buried. Humanitarian agencies said more bodies of the Zabarmari villagers killed by the insurgents in rice fields were being recovered from far-flung areas.

POLICE COMMISSIONER SEEKS IGP’S AUTHORISATION TO SUE NHRC CHIEF – NATION PG.12

An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Akin Fakorede, has sought the authorisation of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to institute a civil suit against the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Anthony Okechuku Ojukwu, for defamation of character. Ojukwu and Fakorede, a lawyer attached to Zone 13 Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Ukpo, Anambra State are engaged in a fresh face-off over gross abuse of office and attempt to defraud the police of N5million.

OGBORU: FED GOVT GUARANTEED MY DEBT TO AMCON – NATION PG.7

A Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Delta State, Chief Great Ogboru, has told the Federal High Court in Lagos that the Federal Government guaranteed his debt to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). AMCON, through its counsel, Kunle Ogunba (SAN), had filed a motion ex-parte for a garnishee order nisi in its bid to recover a judgment-debt of N784 million from Ogboru and his firm, Fiogret Limited.

COURT RESTORES OIL FIELDS TO TRANSNATIONAL ENERGY – NATION PG.7

A Federal High Court in Abuja has set aside the purported reversal of the consent given by the Federal Government for the farm-out agreement between Chevron and Transnational Energy Limited (TEL) on the Abigborodo and Hely Creeks marginal fields in the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 49. The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, upheld the plaintiffs’ claims and granted all the reliefs sought, including an award of $20 million in damages against the defendants, who are Federal Government’s agents.

COURT DISMISSES AMCON’S EX-PARTE ORDER AGAINST BUSINESSMAN – NATION PG11

The Federal High Court in Abuja has vacated an ex-parte order against Peace Global Satellite Communication network and its Managing Director, Livingstone Oreye. The order empowered AMCON’s receiver-manager to take possession of the properties belonging to Oreye and his wife, which include their residence and hotel at Omole Estate, Lagos.

FG TO TREAT FRESH #ENDSARS PROTEST AS ATTEMPT AT REGIME CHANGE – THISDAY PG.1&9

The federal government would treat any fresh demonstration against perceived police brutality or any other issue, particularly if it threatens to disrupt peace and security of any part of the country, as high treason aimed at unconstitutional regime change, highly placed security sources told  Newsmen last night. Notice of a fresh protest, of alleged federal government’s harassment of promoters of the #EndSARS protests held in October, scheduled for December 5 has been trending in social media for weeks.

NAMA, PENSIONERS BICKER OVER ALLEGED DIVERSION OF N1.5BN PENSION FUND – THISDAY PG.40

Pensioners under the auspices of Airspace Management Pensioners Association of Nigeria (AMPAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) yesterday engaged in war of words over allegation of diversion of about N1.5 billion pension fund levelled against the agency by the pensioners. The pensioners alleged that the diverted fund was due to gradual “illegal” withdrawal by NAMA since 2003

SERAP SEEKS PROBE OF FALSE POST ON INFORMATION MINISTRY’S TWITTER HANDLE – THISDAY PG.40

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed to probe false post on the Ministry’s official twitter handle of court proceedings in a suit against him and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). SERAP, in the suit is praying the court to declare arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional the N9million fines imposed on Channels TV, AIT and ARISE NEWS Channel over their coverage of the #EndSARS protests, and to stop the NBC from collecting the money.

CORRECTIONAL SERVICE SETS TO TACKLE INMATES CONGESTION – PUNCH PG.9

The Controller General of Corrections Ja’afaru Ahmad has stated that the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) is ready to confront the challenges posed by congestion in the Custodial Centres by partnering and encouraging corporate bodies, non- governmental organizations and philanthropic individuals towards infrastructural development in these Centres. CGC. Ja’afaru Ahmad, represented by Deputy Controller General John Mrabure made this disclosure during the commissioning of a 240 bed capacity cell block at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos. Lawyer asks DSS to stop Ohanaeze’s election, arrest Nwodo, others

LAWYER ASKS DSS TO STOP OHANAEZE’S ELECTION, ARREST NWODO, OTHERS – PNCH PG.9

The counsel for Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly, recently registered by the Corporal Affairs Commission, Amobi Nzelu, has asked the police and the Department of State Services to stop the Ohanaeze Ndigbo election slated for January, 2021. Nzelu also urged security agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to arrest the outgoing President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, and other principal officers of the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation, past and present, for allegedly running the organisation illegally.