BUHARI GAVE THE NOD FOR RESCUE OF AMERICAN CAPTIVE – DAILY TRUST PG.4
President Muhammadu Buhari gave the nod for the rescue operation by American Special Forces who stormed a location in Nigeria to free Philip Walton, the American hostage who was kidnapped in the Niger Republic in a cross border attack by motorcycle-riding bandits.
Daily Trust got additional exclusive details of what transpired from an impeccable intelligence source.
BUHARI SURROUNDS HIMSELF WITH CRIMINALS FEEDING HIM WITH LIES – MBAKA – PUNCH PG.7
The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, says the President, Muhammadu Buhari, is being fed with lies by the people he surrounded himself with. Mbaka also accused security men in Enugu State of killing and dumping several bodies of some #EndSARS protesters into the Onyeama valleys.
SENTENCING GUIDELINES WILL SPEED UP DECONGESTION OF CORRECTIONAL CENTRES’ – DAILY TRUST PG.26
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, have stated that sentencing guidelines and practice will accelerate decongestion of correctional centres nationwide. They made the statements during the signing of the Consolidated Federal Capital Territory Courts (Custodial and Non-Custodial Sentencing) Practice Directions, 2020.
MALAMI URGED TO OBEY COURT ORDER ON EFCC, ICPC POWER – THISDAY PG.10
Nigeria’s leading anti-corruption group, Human and Environmental Development Agenda, (HEDA Resource Centre), has urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Mallam, to obey subsisting court order that scrapped the Asset Tracing and Management Regulations put in place by the minister. The regulation was put in place in 2019 to checkmate anti-graft agencies in the management of recovered assets and proceeds of crime.
EFCC INVITES FOWLER OVER FIRS TENURE, OTHERS – PUNCH PG.8, DAILY TRUST PG.7, THISDAY PG.8
A former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, is currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Lagos responding to questions on alleged diversion of funds. Fowler, who was also the Chairman of the Lagos Inland Revenue Service, is responding to questions over his links to a firm which helps Lagos State to reconcile taxes for a fee of 10 per cent monthly.
AGAIN, PRESIDENCY RAISES ALARM OVER FAKE NEWS, PARLEYS WITH INTERNATIONAL MEDIA – DAILY TRUST PG.38, NATION PG.8, THISDAY PG.9
The presidency has again expressed concern over the circulation of fake news and misleading information aimed at causing social discontent and disunity in the country. Speaking at the forum, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, saluted the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) for the mature way it handled the #EndSARS protests despite the killing of its personnel in some parts of the country. Mr. Malami assured that the federal government would continue to ensure institutional provisions to the NPF to enhance the quality of policing in the country.
SHUN GRATIFICATION, BE UP-TO-DATE, CJN TELLS NEW JUDGES – PUNCH PG.9, DAILY TRUST PG.4, NATION PG.5, THISDAY PG.5
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, on Monday advised newly-appointed judges of High Courts and Kadis of Sharia Courts to shun gratification in all forms in the discharge of their duties. The CJN gave the charge while declaring open the 2020 Virtual Induction Course for newly-appointed judges and Kadis organised by the National Judicial Institute in Abuja.
AGAIN, EFCC ARRAIGNS SUSWAM, EX-COMMISSIONER FOR N3.1BN FRAUD CHARGES – PUNCH PG.11, DAILY TRUST PG.4, NATION PG.7, THISDAY PG.8
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday re-arraigned a former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, along with the state former Commissioner for Finance, Mr Omodachi Okolobia, on amended charges of money laundering allegedly involving about N3.1bn of the government’s fund. The re-arraignment followed the amendment to the charges which saw the number of counts increase from nine to 11.
FACE-MASK FRAUD: NIGERIANS ARRAIGNED FOR DEFRAUDING GERMAN OF €2.380M – PUNCH PG.11, NATION PG.4
The Federal Government on Monday arraigned two Nigerians and a firm linked to them for allegedly defrauding a foreigner to the tune of €2.380m. The defendants – Babatunde Adesanya, Akinpelu Abass, and Musterpoint Investment Nigeria Limited – were arraigned before Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court in Abuja on 10 counts of advance fee fraud, cybercrime and money laundering.
NORTHERN GOVERNORS: NIGERIA INDIVISIBLE – DAILY TRUST PG.5, PUNCH PG.2
The 19 northern state governors have said Nigeria remains indivisible, a stand seen by many as a response to those calling for the breakup of the country. The governors who met in Kaduna over recent happenings also advocated for a major control mechanism and censorship of the social media practice in the country.
SUSPECTED IPOB MEMBERS HOIST BIAFRA FLAG IN BENUE – PUNCH PG.11, NATION PG.6
Some suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra have hoisted Biafra flag in Ekile community in the Ado Local Government Area of Benue State. The flags were seen at strategic locations in the community which shares boundary with another community in Ebonyi State.
I DIDN’T ORDER SOLDIERS TO KILL OYIGBO-WIKE – DAILY TRUST PG.9, PUNCH PG.11
Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, says he did not order the military to kill residents of Oyigbo local government area of the state. Wike declared a 24-hour curfew in Oyigbo on October 21 following the outbreak of violence spilling from the EndSARS protest which led to the killing of some members of the army and the police.
DECONGESTING CORRECTIONAL CENTRES – DAILY TRUST PG.13
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) reports that it has released 3,751 inmates consisting of convicts and persons awaiting trial. This is in response first to the order by President Muhammadu Buhari that this is done to reduce the spread of coronavirus infection and second, a subsequent instruction by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad to the chief judges of the states and the Federal Capital Territory to decongest the correctional facilities under their respective jurisdictions.
MAGU: SALAMI PANEL WINDS UP, WANTS POLICE OUT OF EFCC – NATION PG.6
After about five months, Justice Isa Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry is set to wind up investigation into the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). It was learnt that the panel plans to conclude its assignment this week. Its report will then be sent to President Muhammadu Buhari.