Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. No fewer than seven operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have been arrested in connection with a plot to smuggle former Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) chairman AbdulRasheed Maina out of the anti-graft agency’s custody. According to reports, the men are undergoing investigation alongside a woman, Zainab Abbas. An official of the agency alleged on Monday that Zainab Abbas, who visited Maina, arranged the failed attempt to sneak Maina out of custody.
2. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has declared former Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, wanted. Spokesperson of the commission, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday. She said Obono-Obla’s “repeated failure’’ to appear before the commission over allegations of fraud and corruption resulted in the latest action.
3. Three Nigerians were among other foreign nationals who on Tuesday suffered from fresh xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa. The incident happened at three different locations of Witbank, Mpumanlaga Province. The national spokesperson for the Nigeria Union, South Africa, Mr Odefa Ikele, disclosed that the attacks started in the early hours of Tuesday. The three Nigerians were all injured and taking refuge at the police station at Witbank.
4. The Senate Committee on Niger Delta has rejected the 2020 budget of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs headed by a former Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio. Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta asked that the budget be re-represented, pointing out that there were abandoned projects in the nine oil-producing states which were omitted from the budget. Majority of the committee members were of the view that the budget won’t deliver anything as it is.
5. The Nigeria Labour Congress on Tuesday faulted the Federal Government for seeking an additional loan from the World Bank. NLC argued that the Federal Government should focus on the recovery of more than $100bn international oil companies owed the country. The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba said this in Enugu, calling for a review of the country’s taxation system so that the rich would be compelled to pay more taxes.
6. Suspected serial killer, Gracious David-West has pleaded guilty to 9 of the 10 Count charge bordering on murder levelled against him by the Rivers State Police Command. But he pleaded not guilty to the last charge of attempted murder of several female genders in Rivers State. Trial Judge, Justice Adolphus Enebeli adjourned till 18, 21th, 27th and 29th of November and 4th of December 2019 for hearing and ordered that the suspect be remanded in prison custody.
7. A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an interim forfeiture order on 23 properties traced to the former boss of Pension Reform Task Team, Abdurasheed Maina. Justice Folasade Giwa-Ogunbanjo granted the order on Tuesday after hearing an ex parte motion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The properties were suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities traced to Maina and his associates. The court also gave an order directing the publication of the order of interim forfeiture in a national daily newspaper.
8. The Nigerian Army on Tuesday said it arrested 16 Boko Haram terrorists, including two top commanders of the sect during a sting operation. Col. Aminu Iliyasu, the Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator in a statement said that the terrorists were arrested at Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State. Iliyasu stated that preliminary investigation revealed that some of the suspects participated in the attack on Pulka and Gwoza including the killing of some Nigeria Police personnel.
9. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered two illegal rehabilitation centres in Kaduna State. The facilities identified as Limanchi Iya and Marmara Rehabilitation Centres were discovered on Tuesday morning in Zaria. Rescued during the operation were 11 people who were in chains, including an 11-year-old boy. NSCDC Deputy Commandant in Kaduna, Aloysius Nnegha, said that three people died in one of the centres while in custody.
10. The Senate on Tuesday queried the allocation of N600 million to Distribution Companies (Discos) by the Federal Ministry of Power in the 2020 budget. According to the Senate, allocating such money to Discos was not acceptable since they have already been privatized. Speaking during 2020 Budget Defence of Ministry of Power, Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Gabriel Suswam, expressed dissatisfaction with the allocation of N600 million to a privatized company.
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