DAILY NEWSPAPERS REVIEW TUESDAY AUGUST 25, 2020

MALAMI DENIES CONSPIRACY IN ‘WITCH-HUNT OF MAGU’ – NATION PG.8, SUN PG.26

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami has denied reports that he allegedly conspired with a lawyer to testify against suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu. Magu is being investigated by a presidential panel head by a retired President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, following a petition Malami sent to President Muhammadu Buhari.In a statement on Monday in Abuja, Malami’s spokesman Umar Gwnadu said the report about the AGF’s involvement with Donald Wokoma was false.

SENATOR MUSA: I DID NOT SPONSOR BILL SEEKING MORE POWERS FOR AGF OVER EFCC – NATION PG.7

The Senator representing Niger East, Mohammed Sani Musa, has declared he did not sponsor any Bill seeking more powers for the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to control the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Musa, in a message, said that the Bill he sponsored was “An Act to amend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004, to among other things widen the scope of the choice of a Chairman of the Commission.

HISBAH COMMANDER ENMESHED IN CHILD TRAFFICKING SAGA IN KANO – DAILY TRUST PG.7

The commander, Fagge command of Kano state Hisbah Board, Ustaz Jamilu Yusuf has been arrested by the operatives of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP over alleged involvement in trafficking of a one-year-old child. The zonal Commander, NAPTIP, Shehu Umar disclosed this on Monday when Federal Ministry of Justice
members of the state Committee for the Implementation of Report of Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the issue of missing persons in Kano paid him a courtesy visit.

I RESIGNED FROM NIPPS OVER KILLINGS IN SOUTHERN KADUNA —MAILAFIA – DAILY TRUST PG.7

A former deputy of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Obadiah Mailafia, said he has resigned from National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) because of ongoing killings in Southern Kaduna affecting his people. Mailafia has been grilled twice by the Department of State Services (DSS) Jos Office over comments he made on a radio station that repentant Bandit told him that a serving Northern Governor was a commander of the terrorist group.

MAILAFIA KEEPS MUM ON POLICE INVITATION – NATION PG.8

A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, has said he was instructed not to talk to the media on his invitation by the police over his recent comments on some national issues. Last week, the Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Abuja invited Mailafia for questioning but he did not confirm if he honoured it or did not.

NIGERIA’S ECONOMY RECORDS WORST DECLINE IN 10 YEARS – DAILY TRUST PG.5

The Nigerian economy has declined by -6.10 per cent in the second quarter of 2020, indicating a significant negative growth. It is the worst in the last 10 years since 2010, comparative analysis has shown. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter of 2020 released on Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the latest GDP contraction ended the 3-year trend of low but positive real growth rates recorded since the 2016/2017 recession.

INSECURITY: USE DIALOGUE, POLITICAL APPROACH, UN ADVISES BUHARI – DAILY TRUST PG.4, NATION PG.6, NATION PG.1

The United Nations has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to complement military force with enhanced dialogue and political approach process in search of durable solution to insecurity in Nigeria. The UN’s Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, gave the advice after leading a delegation to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

ANGER IN SOUTH EAST OVER ENUGU MASSACRE – SUN PG.7, THISDAY PG.6

Tongues have continued to wag over last Sunday’s clash between security forces and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which claimed lives on both sides and left several others injured. Some arrest was also made. But the police have said it would not rush in charging to court those arrested and detained. Spokesman of the state Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, explained that investigations were ongoing, adding that they would be prosecuted afterward.