Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Editor roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 9th January 2024.
1. President Bola Tinubu on Monday dismissed the Chief Executive Officers of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, Mr Babatunde Irukera and the Director-General/CEO, Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, Mr Alexander Ayoola Okoh with immediate effect.
2. Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on Monday slammed a whopping sum of N100 million fine against the federal government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for unlawfully detaining former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele.
3. The Kogi State Government under Governor Yahaya Bello has deposed a first class traditional ruler, the Ohimege Igu, Konto-Nkarfe, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Isa Koto. The deposed monarch was also banished to Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State.
4. President Bola Tinubu has suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, with immediate effect. A statement signed by Tinubu’s spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, said the suspension was in line with Tinubu’s avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency and accountability.
5. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery Limited, on Monday, announced its readiness to commence production of refined petroleum products as it received the 6th batch of one million barrels of crude oil required by the plant for its initial operations.
6. No fewer than seven persons were reportedly killed on Sunday in a renewed attack by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herders in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State. The suspected armed herders were said to have attacked a commercial vehicle between Arufu and Chembe villages and shot at passengers.
7. About 30 suspects, including kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists and hoodlums who have been terrorising Anambra State have been arrested. The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Adeoye made this known in a press briefing at the police headquarters in Awka, on Monday, while parading some of the suspects and recovered items. He added that the arrests were made between December 1, 2023 and now.
8. The suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, is scheduled to report at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Abuja today, Tuesday, January 9.
9. The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed two appeals by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Benue State, Titus Uba, seeking to void the victory of Governor Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress, APC. A five-member panel, presided over by Justice John Okoro, said issues raised in the appeals did not qualify as post-election matters.
10. The former Director General of Peter Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation, Doyin Okupe, has dumped the Labour Party. In his resignation letter, shared with journalists on Monday, Okupe cited ideological differences post-2023 election as the basis for his departure from the party.
