DAILY NEWSPAPERS REVIEW SUNDAY 17 JANUARY, 2021

MALAMI FLAGS-OFF NDE 774,000 JOBS IN KEBBI – THE NATION PG.5

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, (SAN) has said the extended Federal Government Special Public Works Programme of 774,000 jobs opportunities to Nigerians was part of deliberate efforts and conscious strategies to address the population of unemployed youths and rising insecurity in the country.

Malami stated this in Birnin-Kebbi at the flag off of the programme, maintaining that the employment opportunities was part of strategies adopted to fast-track the achievement of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (2017-2020). He said the objective was to facilitate the creation of productive and inclusive societies in the country and shield the most vulnerable from passive hunger, poverty, environmental degradation and joblessness.

FOREIGN INTERESTS SPONSORING BOKO HARAM TO RECRUIT NORTHERN CHILDREN –ZULUM – PUNCH PG.3

The Governor of Borno State, Prof Babagana Zulum, has revealed that there are foreign interests sponsoring the Boko Haram terrorist group to recruit children as fighters. He therefore called on Nigerians not to see the insurgency in the north-eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa as a northern problem but a challenge that affects everyone. Citing Libya and Iraq as examples of how sectional insecurity could engulf a country, he said there was a need for cooperation by all Nigerians to defeat the insurgents.

WE WON’T BACK DOWN ON CALLS FOR EL-ZAKZAKY’S RELEASE –IMN – PUNCH PG.3, THE NATION PG.7,THE SUN PG.25

Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, also known as the Shi’ites, on Saturday vowed to continue to demand the unconditional release of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky; his wife, Zeenat; and other members languishing in detention facilities across the country. They described the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari(retd.) as the worst rights violator in history.

FORMER AIDES DRAG UMAHI TO EFCC OVER LG FUNDS – PUNCH PG.5

Former aides of the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, under the auspices of G-64 Former Coordinators’ Forum of Ebonyi State, have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over what they described as the alleged “misappropriation of statutory allocations of over N6,756,800,000.00 belonging to the 13 local government councils” by the state government. In the petition dated January 11, 2021, and signed by their lawyers, Amos Ogbonnaya and Co., a copy of which was obtained by Sunday PUNCH, Umahi’s former aides claimed they were short-changed by the governor.

EX-FG PROSECUTOR PETITIONS EFCC OVER N1BN OYO VEHICLE PURCHASE – PUNCH PG.10

A former prosecutor with the Special Presidential Panel on Recovery of Public Property, Tosin Ojaomo, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegation of scam in the purchase of about N1.03bn worth of official cars for members of the Oyo State House of Asembly. According to the petition dated December 7, 2020, the contract, which was executed by a firm (name withheld), was for the procurement of 33 Toyota Camry cars for the House members and the Clerk at N759m as well as two Toyota Hilux pick-up vans for the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, at N40m.

SHELL KICKS AS RIVERS SEIZES ASSETS OVER REFUSAL TO PAY N182BN JUDGMENT DEBT – THISDAY PG.8

Despite two Supreme Court judgments, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) has refused to pay the Ejama-Ebubu community in Tai Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, the sum of N182 billion in judgment debt awarded damages against the oil company in an oil spill dispute. But the Royal Dutch oil giant has contested the valuation. Shell advised the community not seek to enforce the award while the injunction was in place. It added that its current valuation of the size of the debt is “overstated” and “remains in dispute” in other court proceedings.

BUHARI APPOINTS MARWA NDLEA CHAIRMAN – DAILY TRUST PG.7

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has appointed a former military administrator of Lagos and Borno states, Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.) as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. Marwa’s appointment was contained in a statement made available to Sunday PUNCH on Saturday. The former military administrator is expected to replace a former chairman/CEO of the agency, Col. Muhammad Abdallah (retd.), whose tenure expired on January 11.