Hello Nigeria, welcome to Naija News’ roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday 13th January 2022

Former Oyo State Governor Chief Christopher Alao Akala has been confirmed dead.

The politician who is also a former police officer died on Wednesday in his hometown of Ogbomoso at the age of 71, born June 3, 1950.

Naija News reports that Akala served as Governor of Oyo State between 2007 and 2011 under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) platform.

Prior to becoming Governor, Alao-Akala served as Deputy Governor of Oyo State from May 2003 to January 2006, but became Governor in January 2006 following the dismissal of Governor Rashidi Ladoja.

He remained in office until December 2006, when the Supreme Court reinstated Ladoja.

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has asked representatives from the United Kingdom, the United States and the United Nations to attend his next hearing.

Naija News reports that lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor wrote the letters to the two countries and the UN on behalf of the IPOB chief.

In the letter titled, ‘Request for delegate(s)/representative(s) to observe court proceedings… In Re: Charge NO. FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, Federal Republic of Nigeria V. Nnamdi Kanu’, Nnamdi Kanu said the presence of the representatives would ensure a fair trial as the administration led by Muhammadu Buhari has shown deep interest in the prosecution criminal proceedings against him. and the outcome of his trial.

He said current administration officials had made unsavory comments about him, noting that it had become important for truly democratic institutions around the world to send representatives to observe his trial.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied reports that it has postponed its planned national convention.

The party, in a statement signed on Wednesday by the national secretary of its Interim Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, said that reports of the postponement of its convention are fake news sponsored by those who want to cause confusion.

Akpanudoedehe added that the APC, under the leadership of Governor Mai Mala Buni, will not allow such people to distract it from carrying out its activities.

The statement further said that plans are underway to hold a no-holds-barred national convention urging party members and the general public to ignore any information that does not come through its official channels.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has instructed the Nigerian military to focus on Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) fighters rather than Boko Haram terrorists.

The governor said the reason is that ISWAP terrorists are better armed and equipped, smarter and more sophisticated than Boko Haram members.

Zulum made the presentation when he received members of the Senate Committee on the Military at Government House in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno, on Wednesday.

The governor said the growing presence of these foreign-trained terrorists in the southern part of the state and other areas has become a source of concern for his government.

Zulum, however, praised the military and the federal government for their hard work in ensuring that peace finally returns to the state, adding that stability has been recorded in the agricultural sector.

He expressed support for the continued combination of military warfare and political approach to disarmament, de-radicalization and safe reintegration.

A company partly owned by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Integrated Logistics Services (INTELS) has reacted to the termination of its contract with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Naija News reported on Tuesday that President Muhammadu Buhari had rescinded the reinstatement of the boats pilot contract following legal advice from the Federation Attorney General and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami (SAN).

The Nigerian leader also sought advice from the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Acting Director General of the Infrastructure Concessions and Regulation Commission (ICRC).

The termination was announced in a letter dated January 7, 2022, signed by the President’s Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, and addressed to Malami and Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi.

Buhari, however, ordered that the procurement process initiated by the NPA be immediately forwarded to the BPP for action within 60 days to avoid further loss of revenue.

But in a statement on Tuesday, INTELS said it had received no notice of termination of its service boat contract with the NPA.

The statement added that INTELS is relying on a freezing order issued by the Federal High Court, which upheld the continuity of operations of the pilotage business even after the contract expired.

He said he does not consider the piloting contract award process closed, adding that his continued execution of the contract is in the best interests of the NPA and the country.

Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has revealed why the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should zone its presidential candidate to the southeast.

Recall that Umahi, Chairman of the South East Governors Forum, declared his intention to join the 2023 presidential race after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock, Abuja.

Speaking on Wednesday during an appearance on Arise News, Umahi said the ruling party should zone its presidential ticket in 2023 to the southeast zone in the interests of fairness and justice.

The APC leader revealed that zoning the ticket for the region would respond to the sentiment expressed by all sectors of society and move the nation forward.

Umahi, however, said he would “feel no sense of injustice” if the ruling party zoned its presidential ticket to his area.

Popular social media celebrity, Ismailia Mustapha, also known as Mompha, has been remanded in custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Naija News reported earlier that Mompha and his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, were arraigned before Judge Mojisola Dada of a special misdemeanor court in Ikeja for alleged fraud at N6b.

The two defendants were charged with laundering funds obtained through illegal activities and withholding suspected proceeds of crime for a suspect Olayinka Jimoh (Nappy Boy), and illegal transfer of funds for a record company , among others.

According to the anti-corruption agency, the defendants laundered sums of 5 million naira, 32 million naira, 120 million naira and 15 million naira totaling more than 6 billion naira for the suspect.

The EFCC also alleged that Mompha concealed her crimes in expensive wristwatches and other movable property valued at over 70 million naira.

Mompha, however, pleaded not guilty to all eight counts when read to him in court on Wednesday, while Islamob Limited (represented by Mompha) also pleaded not guilty to the first six counts.

Judgment is due on January 19, 2022 in the fundamental human rights claim filed in the Abia State High Court by the beleaguered leader of the Outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.

It should be recalled that the lawsuit was heard and concluded on the merits on December 10, 2021, before Judge Benson Anya of the Abia State High Court in Umuahia.

Naija News understands that Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, had in the suit urged the court to declare the military invasion of the IPOB leader in September 2017 by soldiers illegal.

Also in the suit, Kanu’s lawyer urged the court to blame Kanu’s re-arrest and allegations of torture in Kenya.

A former Central Bank of Nigeria deputy governor, Kingsley Moghalu, says he does not need to tell President Muhammadu Buhari about his 2023 presidential ambition.

The former Young Progressive Party (YPP) presidential candidate made the submission in a post via his verified Twitter account on Wednesday.

Moghalu revealed that he had informed Nigerians of his intention to run for President in 2023 under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and did not need to inform President Buhari.

President Muhammadu Buhari has agreed to lift the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria.

The President’s directive was made public in a statement on Wednesday by the Chairman of the Nigeria-Twitter Engagement Technical Committee and the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi.

According to the statement, the lifting of the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria will be effective from 12:00 p.m. on January 13, 2022.

Abdullahi explained that the approval was granted after a memo written to the president by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami.

These are the top headlines in Nigerian newspapers today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you tomorrow.

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