3. WHY WE ARRESTED FAYOSE’S FINANCE COMMISSIONER – EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a statement by its spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, has confirmed the arrest of the Ekiti state’s Commissioner for Finance and the Accountant General.
According to him, the two top government officials were picked up by EFCC operatives “following their refusal to honour previous invitations for interrogation in relation to pending investigation on the misuse of bail out funds by the Gov. Ayodele Fayose administration”.
Both men were arrested as Governor Ayo Fayose declared his intention to run for president come 2019 in Abuja.
4. BUHARI APPOINTS ADEMOLA MAGBOJURI AS NEW NAFDAC ACTING DG
The Muhammadu Buhari Government has approved the appointment of Mr. Ademola Andrew Magbojuri as the new Acting Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Magbojuri replaces Mrs. Yetunde Oni, who attained the retirement age of 60 years last week.
Oni served in acting capacity for 18 months following the sack of NAFDAC”s substantive DG, Dr. Paul Orhii.
Magbojuri, who is the most senior director in NAFDAC, until this appointment, was in charge of the agency’s Training and Research Institute in Kaduna.
5. STATE GOVERNORS ASK FG TO HAND OVER FEDERAL ROADS
The governors of the 36 states have asked the Federal Government to give them control over some of the federal roads in their states.
This was part of their demands at the National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa in Abuja Thursday.
The council members expressed concern over roads construction, damage and maintenance and suggested that the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing come up with strategies to regulate the weight of heavy-duty vehicles plying the roads.
NEC also expressed willingness to take a holistic approach on the issue of federal roads across the country.
6. 3 KILLED, 150 HOMES RAZED IN BOKO HARAM RAID IN BORNO
Boko Haram militants have killed three persons and set fire on a number of homes in a raid in the Baga area of Borno.
According to the Information officer for the Guzamala local government area in Borno state, the attackers stormed the village in the afternoon of Wednesday in trucks and motorcycles attacking Goram and two neighbouring villages, Lingis and Ajidari,
The insurgents also looted food stores before setting them on fire. Although It is not clear which faction of Boko Haram is responsible for the attack but the attack came as two persons were killed when a convoy of vehicles hit landmines on the road from the Borno state capital to Dikwa.
7. I WILL DEFEAT BUHARI IN 2019 – FAYOSE SAYS AS HE DECLARES TO RUN
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has said he will defeat President Muhammadu Buhari in a free and fair presidential election.
Fayose made the assertions during his declaration to contest the 2019 presidential election as a candidate of the opposition PDP.
He said his record of defeating two incumbent governors in separate governorship elections in Ekiti State were pointers that he will defeat the President in 2019.
Fayose promised to improve Nigeria’s economic fortune and ensure diversification of the country’s economy through agriculture, adequate power supply and creation of jobs for youths.
8. DINO MELAYE GETS RECALL PROCESS EXTENDED, CASE MOVED TO APPEAL COURT
Senator Dino Melaye has successfully got the process for his planned recall extended, as the case has now been moved to the Appeal Court.
A Federal High Court in Abuja ordered that the recall be moved, after the Independent National Electoral Commission, withdrew its motion, seeking to get the right to serve the recall petition on Melaye through substituted means.
INEC had previously tried to serve him the motion in person but claimed he had been dodging.
And Senator Melaye himself had gone to the Court of Appeal to challenge the ruling backing his recall process.
The trial judge subsequently directed all issues pertaining to the case be taken to the court of appeal.
INEC now has to wait for the appeal court verdict, to know whether to continue the process.
9. GUNMEN KIDNAP ACP, FAMILY MEMBERS, DEMAND N30M RANSOME
Gunmen terrorising Birnin- Gwari – Funtua Road , Kaduna State, have abducted an Assistant Commissioner of Police , Emmanuel Adeniyi , and three of his family members.
Adeniyi is the Officer -in – Charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department , Zamfara State Police Command .
It was gathered that Adeniyi and his family were travelling back to Zamfara from Kaduna on Wednesday when the men flagged down their Toyota Hilux.
However, on Thursday the kidnappers had communicated with their relatives, demanding N30 million ransom for their release, but an police officer said, the force had got some leads on the abductors, noting that the victims would soon be freed.
10. NNAMDI KANU NOT IN OUR CUSTODY – ARMY SOURCES
Authoritative sources from the Nigerian Army have revealed that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is not in military custody.
The sources, from the army headquarters, Abuja, and the 82 Division headquarters, Enugu State, which coordinates Operation Python Dance II, on Thursday that Kanu was not arrested or detained, as being speculated.
This statement is coming a day after Kanu’s lawyers filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja praying for an order, directing the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to produce Kanu in court.