Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Saturday, 23rd January, 2021

January 23, 2021 Mary

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Saturday, 23rd January 2021.

The non-academic workers at Nigerian universities have announced it would paralyze academic activities in all tertiary institutions by February 5 over the government’s failure to address lingering issues.

Naija News reports that this was made known in a communique on Friday by the Joint Action Committee of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).

Part of the communique read, “It is in line with the resolution of our members nationwide, that the leadership of the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU hereby resolve as follows:

“That members of NASU and SSANU shall embark on an indefinite, comprehensive and total strike with effect from midnight of Friday, 5th February 2021.”

Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami has submitted that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is open to constructive criticism.

He argued that such criticism can provide solutions to national issues and help the government perform better as against direct attacks and falsehood that some people might want to peddle.

The Minister who spoke at the 2021 annual conference of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC), Abuja chapter, where he was represented by his media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu however warned that fake news and sensationalism doesn’t count as constructive criticism.

Members of the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists group are regrouping in Nasarawa State which has recently seen a surge in security challenges.

Naija News reports that this was made known by Governor Abdullahi Sule on Friday in Abuja.

He disclosed this while speaking to State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Governor Sule recalled that Boko Haram terrorists had been dislodged from their camp in Toto before regrouping at the Nasarawa/Benue border from where they are now launching attacks on residents.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced the commencement of the National Identity Number (NIN) enrolment of foreign diplomats in Nigeria.

Recall that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, had directed the NIMC to set up an enrolment centre for diplomats at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.

In a statement on Friday, NIMC’s spokesperson, Kayode Adegoke, revealed that NIN enrolment for diplomats has begun.

Troops of the Nigerian Army 402 special forces brigade have eliminated several Boko Haram terrorists during a clash in Borno State.

The troops, deployed under Operation Takaibango, a subsidiary of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North East also captured arms and ammunition from the terrorists according to a statement on Friday by Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, Acting Director Defence Media Operations.

The operation took place on 20th January 2021, the statement noted.

“Troops of Operation TURA TAKAIBANGO a subsidiary Operation of Operation LAFIYA DOLE in the North East continue to obliterate elements of Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province criminals with uncommon ferocity as they overrun *Abbagajiri and Dusula* towns in Damboa.”

The Presidency has asked those agitating for the restructuring of the country to approach the National Assembly and not President Muhammadu Buhari.

Naija News reports that there have been growing calls for the restructuring of the country to address the nation’s security challenges.

Speaking in an interview with The Punch, the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, urged those calling for restructuring to approach the National Assembly for a change in the constitution.

He stated that only the parliament was empowered to effect a change in the nation’s structure or constitution, adding that restructuring agitators should take advantage of the ongoing constitutional amendment in the National Assembly.

The Presidency has explained why the pigeons released by President Muhammadu Buhari during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony refused to fly.

Naija News reports that it is customary for the president to releases some white pigeons from a cage and immediately they fly away as a sign of peace.

But the birds refused flying when they were released with most of them sticking to the cage.

Buhari had picked one of the pigeons and threw it into the air but it fled back into the cage immediately.

127 soldiers of the Nigerian Army drawn from various formations across the country are set to exit the military.

It is understood according to a memo sighted by Premium Times that the soldiers are all junior officers mostly part of those fighting insurgency and terrorists in various locations in the country.

The breakdown of the 127 soldiers includes one Master Warrant Officer, three Warrant Officers, 22 Staff Sergeants, 29 Sergeants, 64 Corporals, seven Lance Corporals, and one Private.

Barely two days into the tenure of United States President Joe Biden, a Republican congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene, has filed articles of impeachment against him.

Recall that Democrat Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn-in on Wednesday, 20th January as President and Vice-President of the United States of America.

Biden and Harris were sworn-in by the Chief Justice of the US.

But Greene a U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 14th congressional district known for promoting conspiracy theories, is an ardent Donald Trump supporter and has made some rigging claims in the 2020 election.

The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman has submitted that the recent exchange of words between the Ondo State government and the presidency shouldn’t be seen as a bad occurrence.

The Progressive Governors’ Forum DG stated that it is a pointer to the liberal nature of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but where important issues won’t be swept under the carpet as a family affair.

Calling attention to the fact that both the Ondo government and the federal government belong to the same party and they have openly disagreed on an issue points to the beauty of democracy where all stakeholders can have a say towards developmental efforts without fear, favour, or intimidation, he submitted as part of a statement titled ‘Caution on divisive campaigns and national security challenges.’