Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Sunday, 17th March, 2024

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 17th March 2024

The pan-northern socio-political organisation Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has berated the National Assembly for suspending the Senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, over the Senate’s alleged padding of the 2024 budget by N3.7tn.

Naija News recalls that Ningi had, in an earlier interview, made the allegation that culminated in his three-month suspension for what the Senate labelled an unfounded allegation.

However, the ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur-Baba, in a statement on Saturday titled ‘ACF regrets suspension of Senator Ningi from 10th Senate, calls for more open debates on issues,’ said the process that culminated in Ningi’s suspension appeared rushed, looking more on the messenger rather than his message.

The pan-northern organisation regretted that rather than suspending the Senator, the red chamber should have allowed an independent investigation into the matter.

According to the forum, Ningi’s suspension will threaten the interests of many Northern communities in the region.

Sixteen Nigerian soldiers on a peace mission were surrounded by youths and killed on Thursday, in Okuoma Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta state.

The Director of Information at the Defence Headquarters, Tukur Gusau, made this known in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja.

He said the unfortunate incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities both in Delta State.

Unknown gunmen have reportedly kidnapped the Edo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Tony Aziegbemi.

Naija News gathered that Aziegbemi was kidnapped by the gunmen a few metres from his residence off the Government Reservation Area in Benin City, the state capital.

He was said to have been trailed by his abductors who were said to be in two Toyota Corolla cars, overtook his jeep along Odaro Street off Country Home road close to his house at about 11 pm Friday.

Aziegbemi was said to have left a night meeting in the government house when he was been trailed by his abductors.

Confirming the incident to Vanguard, Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor said the incident fell under the New Etete Police Division

An elder statesman, Ayo Adebanjo, had said President Bola Tinubu and his colleagues who were South-West Governors in 1999 failed Nigerians.

The chieftain of the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, said the former governors were scared to insist on a new constitution when they were in power and had the opportunity to do so.

He said Tinubu and his colleagues failed to demand a Sovereign National Conference after the then-military Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, decided to return the country to democracy after the death of ex-military dictator Sani Abacha.

Naija News reports that Adebanjo stated these during an appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, which was aired on Channels Television on Friday.

The elder statesman said Tinubu now has the opportunity to rewrite the 1999 Constitution as President, having failed to insist on federalism as Lagos governor in 1999.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s government of ignoring transparency issues.

Naija News reports that the former Vice President made the assertion while reacting to the controversial unresolved $3.3 billion NNPCL loan repayment scandal.

In a post via X, Atiku noted that the silence on the NNPCL loan attests to the corrupt issues with Tinubu’s administration.

According to him, Tinubu’s government ignores due process issues in public administration.

The Labour Party (LP) has accused the National President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, of desperately seeking to replace its National Chairman, Julius Abure.

The party’s spokesman, Obiorha Ifoh, made the accusation in a statement issued on Saturday in response to a letter written by the political wing of the NLC, the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission (NLCPC).

In the letter on Friday jointly signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Titus Amba and Chris Uyot respectively, the Commission alleged that Abure and the NWC were proposing a ‘secret’ national convention in Umuahia, Abia State capital on March 27.

The NLCPC said the convention will be used to re-elect Abure as a ‘sole administrator’ and called for the immediate resignation of Abure as the party chairman and the constitution of a caretaker transition committee to organise a national convention.

However, according to Ifoh, the call for Abure’s resignation was being orchestrated by Ajaero over his alleged ambition to become the next national chairman of the party.

The Federal Government has charged the Nigerian Police Force to adopt a new strategy against terrorists, kidnappers and other criminals.

The Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam, gave the charge on Friday during his visit to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Gaidam also urged the police to take the fight to the doorsteps of the criminals by seeking out their hideouts, disrupting their operations, and dismantling their networks.

The minister, accompanied by the Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, maintained that all enemies of peace in the country should no longer be given the opportunity to strike first.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has lambasted the Accountant General of the Federation and the Commissioners of Finance of the 36 states for choosing to hold a workshop in the United Kingdom.

Reports emerged that the Office of the AGF held a workshop on Public Financial Management and International Public Sector Accounting Standards in London, UK.

It was gathered that the workshop was held at Copthorne Tara Hotel, Kensington London, from March 4 to March 9, 2024.

However, some Nigerians and organizations have condemned the action of the AGF amidst the economic hardship in the country.

Reacting to the development in a statement on Saturday via his X handle, Obi said the decision of the AGF and commissioners showed how insensitive the public servants were to the economic plight of the country.

Obi asked Nigerians to condemn the decision of the government officials, saying that is unacceptable and deeply troubling.

A former Benue State Governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has declared his ambition to run for the national chairmanship position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The former Benue North East Senator made this known to the Benue chapter of the PDP, State Working Committee ( SWC) and PDP Caucus of the Benue North East Senatorial Zone at separate meetings on Friday in Makurdi and Katsina Ala Local towns, respectively.

Suswam represented Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo Federal constituency in the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2007 before he served as Governor of the North Central state from 2007 to 2015.

The former governor lost his bid to the Senate in 2015 but was elected to the Red Chamber in 2019. He, however, lost his reelection bid in 2023.

Speaking at both meetings, Suswam said following the PDP tradition, he is the right person to replace the former PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.

The Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) cannot put an end to corruption in Nigeria.

Bakare stated this while speaking at a men symposium to celebrate Pastor Chinedu Ezekwesili’s 70th birthday in Abuja on Friday.

The clergyman insisted that the antidote to corruption in Nigeria is when the sons of God start manifesting righteousness.

Bakare insisted that setting up committees to investigate corruption by corrupt individuals who cannot execute it is a waste of time.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.