DAILY NEWSPAPERS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020

AGF ABSENT AS ASSEMBLY, INEC CREATE ELECTORAL ACT PANEL – PUNCH PG.7

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Tuesday failed to attend the technical session on the amendment to the Electoral Act.

The event was jointly organised by the National Assembly Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission and the management of INEC. The panel had last week held a public hearing on the amendment to the Electoral Act.

SERVICE CHIEFS: SENATORS DECRY EXECUTIVE’S DISREGARD FOR RESOLUTIONS ON INSECURITY – DAILY TRUST PG.4

Federal lawmakers, on Tuesday, deplored the federal government’s continued disregard for Senate’s resolutions on the issue of national security. The Senators spoke while contributing to a motion on the recent kidnapping of students at the Government Science School, Kankara, Katsina State. The Red Chamber had twice called for the replacement of the service chiefs.

SHEKAU MAY ASK FOR PRISONER SWAP, RANSOM – EXPERTS – DAILY TRUST PG.5

The factional Boko Haram will most likely ask for ransom or prisoner swap to release the hundreds of schoolboys abducted in a school in Katsina State, credible sources and security experts told the Daily Trust on Tuesday. In an audio message, a man who claimed to be Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the factional group, claimed that they were responsible for the abduction of over 500 students at Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, on Friday.

AFTER ATTACK, WE LACK CAPACITY TO HANDLE DRUG TRAFFICKING – NDLEA – DAILY TRUST PG.12

The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday said it lacked the capacity to respond to the rising drug abuse and trafficking in the state after hoodlums attacked its operational base during EndSARS protest. The State Commander, Buba Wakawa, represented by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Ofoyeju Mitchell, stated this yesterday in Benin while appearing before the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses.

STOP DISTRACTING OUT GALLANT TROOPS, SENATE PANEL TELLS ICC – DAILY TRUST PG.14, THISDAY PG.45

The Senate Committee on Army has cautioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) against its decision to investigate the Nigerian Army over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. ICC prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said in a statement on Friday that her office recognised that the vast majority of the crimes committed in Nigeria were attributable to non-state actors, but that it had also found a “reasonable basis” to believe that members of the Nigerian security forces had also committed crimes. This, it said, included murder, rape, torture and cruel treatment, as well as enforced disappearance and forcible transfer of the population and attacks directed at civilians.

#ENDSARS PROTESTS: FEDERAL HIGH COURT FROZE COMPANY ACCOUNTS, NOT INDIVIDUALS— CJ – DAILY TRUST PG.45, DAILY SUN PG.27, THIS DAY PG.44[1]
Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, on Tuesday, said it was not true that the court intentionally froze accounts of promoters of the recent #EndSARS protest. Justice Tsoho stressed that contrary to media reports, the court froze accounts of some corporate entities the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, accused of sabotaging the country’s economy. Justice Tsoho stressed that contrary to media reports, the court froze accounts of some corporate entities the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, accused of sabotaging the country’s economy

KANKARA ABDUCTION: WHY WE DID IT – SHEKAU – DAILY SUN PG.5

Boko Haram insurgents have claimed responsibility for last Friday’s kidnap of over 300 students at a government school in Kankara, northwest Katsina State. In a four-minute audio message got by Daily Sun, yesterday, the insurgents claimed they carried out the abduction for the sake of Allah and the Islam. “In the name of Allah, I speak to you. We are the followers of Allah and led by Imam Abu Mohammad Abubakar Shekau

BANDITRY: ANGER IN SENATE OVER BUHARI’S REFUSAL TO SACK SERVICE CHIEF – DAILY SUN PG.6

There was anger on the floor of the Senate, yesterday, over President Muhammadu Buhar’s refusal to sack service chiefs following their failure to checkmate the growing insecurity across the country. The upper legislative chamber, which last week distanced itself from a summon extended to President Buhari to appear before a joint session of the National Assembly and brief lawmakers on the rising insecurity, lamented that bandits now freely roam the streets in many northern states.

MASS ABDUCTION: STUDENT RECOUNTS NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE BEFORE ESCAPE – PUNCH PG.2

The Nigeria Union of Teachers on Tuesday threatened to embark on a nationwide strike following continued threat to lives of its members and students. The Secretary-General of the NUT, Dr Mike Ene, stated this in a statement in Abuja while reacting to the abduction of 333 students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State and other cases in the country. Ene said this just as one of the abducted students narrated how he escaped from bandits.

SULEJA 250-INMATE PRISONS HOUSE 748 ADULTS, CHILDREN, SAYS ACG – PUNCH PG.7

The Assistant Controller of Corrections, Abdurrahman Musa, has said the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre, Niger State, with capacity for 250 inmates is currently holding 748 persons. Musa, who is in charge of the facility, explained that some of the female inmates also had children who required special care. Speaking while receiving donations from a non-governmental organisation, the Women of Glory Foundation, on Tuesday, the ACC solicited support from other philanthropic groups, noting that the inmates needed toiletries and other basic items.

17 PUPILS RETURN FROM FOREST AS ACF KNOCKS FED GOVT – THE NATION PG. 1&4

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Tuesday knocked the Federal Government over insecurity in the country. Rising from its Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting, it said the government was not taking proactive measures to address the situation. The Forum’s newly-constituted BOT, which met for the first time, expressed sadness over the abduction of over 333 pupils from the Government Science Secondary School (GSSS) in Kankara, Katsina State, at the weekend. Seventeen more pupils have been rescued and reunited with their families, Governor Aminu Masari, said in an interview with a German radio, Deutsche Welle (DW), monitored by our correspondent last night.

MILITARY MULLS SEEKING HELP FROM US AFRICOM TO RESCUE ABDUCTED PUPILS – THE NATION PG.1, 8 & 10

The military is considering many options, including seeking external help, to rescue over 300 schoolboys of Government Science Secondary School (GSSS) Kankara, Katsina State. A top military officer confided in THISDAY yesterday that one of the options being considered is for the federal government to seek assistance from the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) to launch a rescue bid leveraging on its sophisticated technology for such operation. Besides, the military also dismissed claims by Boko Haram that it masterminded the abduction of the pupils last Friday.

UGANDAN COURT ORDERS RELEASE OF OMAH LAY, TEMS – THIS DAY PG.45

A Ugandan court has ordered the release of two fast-rising Nigerian singers, Omah Lay and Tems, from detention. This is coming three days after they were arrested in Uganda for allegedly flouting COVID-19 guidelines. The duo was arrested after their performances at The Big Brunch, which held at Speke Resort, Wavamunno Rd, Kampala, Uganda.