Top Nigerian newspaper headlines and breaking news in Nigeria today, Saturday, April 22, 2023.
Rainstorm Kills 6, Flood Sweeps 10-Year-Old Boy Away in Delta
Six persons have reportedly lost their lives in the Oko Oshimili South Local Government Area of the Delta State following a rainstorm recorded in the area on Wednesday night.
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The victims died when a building collapsed as a result of the strong wind that also uprooted trees.
The rainstorm was said to have also destroyed many buildings in Okwe and Issele-Azagba among others.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who confirmed the development on Thursday in Asaba, the state capital, said five others who were injured were being treated at the hospital.
Aniagwu said, “Six persons lost their lives to rainstorm and windstorm recorded in the Oko Community area.
“A building collapsed which led to the death of six persons, one other person is critically injured and is being attended to at the Asaba Specialist Hospital, while five others who sustained various injuries are already in stable condition.
“It is quite disturbing and unfortunate. It is our prayer that God will grant the deceased eternal rest even as we pray to God to comfort the bereaved families and grant them the fortitude to bear their losses.”
Similarly, a 10-year-old boy who was returning from church was reportedly swept away by erosion in the Okotomi area of Okpanam Community in the Oshimili North Local Government Area.
Aniagwu said efforts to rescue the 10-year-old were futile, adding that the search has been intensified to recover his body.
Fuel Subsidy Removal Will Not Disrupt Livelihoods – FG
The Federal Government says it is considering how best to achieve subsidy removal without disrupting livelihoods in Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Amb. Gabriel Aduda, stated this while briefing newsmen on Thursday at the end of the Nigeria International Energy Summit.
He said the Federal Government was committed to subsidy removal but could not be too specific until all indices were considered, to ensure that the effect would not be harsh on average Nigerians.
The summit was declared open by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha.
The sixth edition of NIES, which was held from April 16 to April 20, had as its theme, “Global Perspectives for a Sustainable Energy Future.”
Aduda said although subsidy removal had been in focus for some time, President Buhari, who doubles as Minister of Petroleum Resources, was taking it very seriously, including everyone in the industry.
“We totally understand the importance of removal of subsidy but we also understand the greater importance of the citizens in the scheme of things.
“As we speak we are still taking a very close look at how best to achieve subsidy without disrupting the entire ecosystem of livelihood in Nigeria.
“Because that is our responsibility as government. We have to ensure that the buffers are in place and forex is made available for imports.
“We have to ensure that supply is available for a minimum of six months to make disruption minimal,” he assured.
He said there were quite a number of factors to look at but the government was committed to it.
The permanent secretary said in order to match words with action, the 2024 NIES would begin with a session on the fallouts of suggestions made in 2023 as agreed in the communique.
According to him, items achieved between 2022 and 2023 would be listed, which would include rules and regulations by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
He said the recommendations of the NEIS would form part of policy implementation
Buhari Lists Proudest Achievement as President
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, listed his proudest achievement in the past eight years of service.
The President mentioned that the peaceful and neutral 2023 presidential election was his proudest achievement in office.
Buhari said this in a statement titled Sallah Message: President Buhari hails peaceful elections, calls on citizens to work harder towards tolerance.’
According to the statement, peace, and neutrality in the election were birthed by the signing of the Electoral Act (2022).
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He said:
“The 2023 general election will go down on record as one of the proudest achievements of my administration in addition to our neutrality in the conduct of the elections.
“The outcomes of the elections were in line with my pledge to leave a legacy of free and fair elections.
“I’m proud that I have created a level playing field for all contestants regardless of party affiliation in order to produce a fair outcome for all.
“Free and fair elections are the only principles that give credibility to our democracy, because the subversion of the will of the people undermines democracy itself.
“The elections were so transparent that even members of my own party were routed and unseated. At no point did I interfere with the process in order to give unfair advantage to anyone.”
Gunmen Kill Couple, 5 Policemen in Imo
A couple and five police operatives were on Friday killed by gunmen in Okpala Junction, Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.
The coupled identified as Mr and Mrs Chinaka Nwagu hailed from Amankwo Okpala community in the state.
The junction and community have since been thrown into panic as commercial activities in the area were grounded temporarily.
A relative to the couple told Punch that the slain policemen had come over from the neighbouring Abo Mbaise police division to eat at the junction.
According to the source who identified himself as Uche, the gunmen drove to the junction and opened fire on the officers while they were eating.
The eyewitness said three of the policemen died on the spot as two others ran off to take refuge inside a shop. However, the gunmen chased and caught up with them before killing them and the couple who own the shop.
The gunmen were said to have carted away the rifles of the slain officers after killing them.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Imo, Henry Okoye, said he was yet to be briefed on incident as of press time.
Daily Report Nigeria recalls that some fleeing gunmen ambushed and killed five personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the same Ngor Okpala LGA on March 27.
Buhari Apologises to Nigerian he Offended
President Muhammadu Buhari has pleaded with Nigerians whom he must have hurt in the course of his duties to forgive him.
Buhari tendered the open apology while hosting the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja community to his ninth and last Sallah celebration at the Presidential Villa.
Speaking at the celebration attended by key figures in the administration from the Abuja community, led by the Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, the President also thanked Nigerians for tolerating his eight-year administration.
He said he considered the Sallah celebration as a good coincidence to say goodbye and to “thank you for tolerating me for eight years.”
President Buhari added, “I am counting the days. Democracy is a good thing otherwise how can somebody from the other side be a president for two terms? My hometown to Niger Republic is eight kilometres.
“I think this is a very good coincidence for me to say goodbye to you and to thank you for tolerating me for more than seven and half years now.“
I assure you, I have deliberately arranged to be as far away from you as possible not because I don’t appreciate the love you’ve shown to me, but because I think I’ve gotten what I have asked and I would rather quietly retire to my hometown“
Having been a governor, minister and the president twice, I think God has given me an incredible opportunity to serve as your president. And I thank God for that.
“So, please, whoever feels I have done wrong to them, we are all humans. There is no doubt I hurt some people and I wish you will pardon me. And those that think that I have hurt them so much, please, pardon me.”
He further assured the nation that nothing would stop the May 29 handover date to the next administration.
Gov Diri Orders Manhunt of Anti-open Grazing Law Violators
Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has ordered the manhunt of herders breaching the state’s anti-open grazing law.
This came after two herders were arrested at the Sampou junction along the East-West Road in the Kolokuma/Opokuma council area of the state.
Diri’s convoy had sighted the herders and their cattle, a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Daniel Alabrah held.
Thereafter, Alabrah said that the governor instructed the Chief Security Coordinator of the state, Gen Eric Angaye in the convoy to ensure the arrest and prosecution of herders.
He further ordered security agencies to continue with the prosecution of violators henceforth.
Checks revealed Diri had signed the “Livestock Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Law,” which criminalises open grazing in the state on March 10, 2021.
FBI Told to Release Tinubu’s $460,000 Forfeiture File
A retired mental health counsellor in the United States, Jeffrey Guterman has written a petition to the Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI) linked to Nigeria’s president-elect, Mr Bola Tinubu.
Guterman requested for the secret agency to release a file in its possession about Tinubu.
Guterman alleged the file with the FBI contained details of the sum of $460,000 allegedly laundered through drug trafficking.
According to him, Tinubu’s reported drug trafficking case was a threat to the public.
He took to his official Twitter handle on Thursday to make the revelation.
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Guterman also asked President Zenlenskyy of Ukraine to withdraw his invitation letter requesting for Tinubu to pay a state visit to his country.
Guterman said Tinubu was a drug trafficker that needs to be arrested.
He tweeted;
Please withdraw your invitation to Bola Tinubu for a state visit to Ukraine, @ZelenskyyUa. I love you, President Zelenskyy, but you're making a big mistake. The election is being contested, Tinubu is a drug trafficker, and he needs to be arrested. 🇺🇦🇳🇬https://t.co/enhOCHnJI8
— Jeffrey Guterman (@JeffreyGuterman) April 20, 2023
