Good morning, Nigeria, welcome to GoldenNewsNg roundup of Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today Tuesday, 27th October, 2020
Here Are Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today
#EndSARS: Full Details Of What Buratai Discussed With Top Military Officers Emerge
The Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai on Monday, 26th October held a meeting with Principal Staff Officers and top army commanders at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting with the top hierarchy of the military is related to the current security situation in the country, including the #EndSARS protests.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), General Officers Commanding(GOCs), and Field Commanders.
The details of what was discussed at the meeting has now been made available to Naija News in a statement by Col. Sagir Musa, Acting Director Army Public Relations.
Buratai told them at the meeting that the Nigerian Army remains fully committed to the nation’s democratic stability and all subordinates must be informed that there is no room for disloyalty.
Drawing attention to happenings in the country over the last few days, the COAS noted that some unscrupulous elements have hijacked the otherwise peaceful #EndSARS protests, resulting in massive destruction of properties, looting, and widespread violence.
He alleged that the game plan of the criminally-minded individuals was to discredit the Nigerian government and the Nigerian Army but urged them not to fall prey of their devilish plans.
He reiterated the commitment of the military to international best practices despite all forms of provocation and accusation, urging them to urgently nip the developing crisis in the bud by displaying the highest form of professionalism.
In their response, the PSOs, GOCs, and Field Commanders reaffirmed their commitment to Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari, promising to remain undistracted in the discharge of their professional and constitutional duties without succumbing to local or international threats.
Lekki Shootings: Soldiers’ barracks have been identified, says Falana
Soldiers’ barracks involved in the Lekki Shootings have been identified.
Human Rights Activist, Femi Falana (SAN), says the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 And Beyond, has commenced an investigation into last Tuesday shootings of protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State.
Falana, who is the Chairman of the group, said ASCAB has so far identified the barracks where the soldiers who opened fire on protesters were deployed from.continue reading
NBC fines Channels TV, Arise, AIT N9m over #EndSARS coverage
The National Broadcasting Commission has fined Channels Television, Arise Television and Africa Independent Television for what it termed “unprofessional coverage” of the #EndSARS protests.
The acting Director-General of the NBC, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, announced this at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.
Recall that the NBC had last week warned all television and radio stations against reporting the #EndSARS protests in a manner that could embarrass the government or private individuals or cause disaffection, incite to panic or rift in the society. Continue reading
Breaking: FG gives looters 48 hours to return stolen Covid-19 palliatives
The Plateau State Government has given looters 48 hours to return stolen COVID-19 palliatives in their possession or risk being arrested.
According to report, the warehouse where COVID-19 palliatives were stored in the Bukuru community of Jos South Local Government Area of the state was looted on Saturday.
In a reaction on Monday, the State Police Command described the act as criminal, nothing that the looters should return the stolen palliatives before Wednesday.Continue reading
More Trouble For Wike As Nnamdi Kanu Places N100m Bounty On His Head
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has placed N100 million on Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
GoldenNewsNg had reported earlier that Governor Wike had directed security operatives to arrest anyone connected with the Federal Government proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) in the south-south state.
Read Here : Breaking: Governor Wike Declares Biafra Leader Wanted
Wike’s directive came after a clash between suspected IPOB members and security agents on Wednesday left two police officers killed. This was even as the IPOB members reportedly razed the Police Area Command, Obigbo, Afam Divisional Police Office, and a court, all in Oyigbo Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers.Continue Reading
No State Governor Hoarded COVID-19 Palliatives – NGF
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum has debunked the reports that palliatives uncovered by some residents in warehouses across the nation were intentionally hoarded by state governors.
According to the NGF in a statement on Monday, October 26, the reports making rounds in the media about the hoarding of the palliatives were untrue, insisting that the food items were stored purposely for members of the public, most especially the vulnerable.
GoldenNewsNg understands that residents in Lagos State and some other states in the last week uncovered hoarded palliatives meant for distribution to Nigerians in order to ameliorate their sufferings during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the governor’s forum following several meetings over the #EndSARS protests faulted the narrative that the food items were kept away from the citizen. The forum said it is making efforts to address concerns of members of the public and that they identified calls for justice and an end to police brutality.
NGF noted that it has in that regard set up judicial panels of inquiry to look into such cases. The forum revealed this in a statement titled, ‘Governors and the CACOVID Palliatives,’ signed by the Head, Media and Public Affairs of the NGF, Abudulrazaque Bello-Barkindo
#endsars Coverage: You Are The Enemy Of Democracy: Huriwa Tells Information Minister
The Prominent Civil rights advocacy group: – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has condemned the minister of information Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the management of the National Broadcasting commission (NBC) for illegally slamming fines against private broadcasting station for their transparent coverage of the Endsars protects.
Branding the minister of information and culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed as a pathetic hater of transparency and accountability, the Rights group said he has made him notorious as the most dangerous enemy of constitutional democracy even as HURIWA has asked’ President Muhammadu Buhari to order the quashing of the dictatorial and draconian financial sanctions which the group said violates the grund norm of Nigeria. HURIWA said the fines Imposed against the media houses for carrying out their statutory functions goes contrary to the unambiguous provisions of the Constitution of the Federal which obliges the media to function as national conscience and to play the role of the uninhibited and unhindered purveyors of objective news to the people of Nigeria as encapsulated in section 22 of the Nigerian constitution.
Citing section 22 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which states thus: “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people”, the Rights group said the fines are vexatious, illegal, unconstitutional and absolutely devoid of respect for the fundamental human rights of the citizens who ought to be informed qualitatively by both public and private media outlets in the best tradition of adherence to the Principles of the Rule of law and in obedience to the Constitutional provisions on the fundamental freedoms including Right to freedom of information.
HURIWA stated that: “We totally reject this resort to self help measures and primitive infliction of illegality by the minister of information and culture against media pluralism and for enforcing a non enforceable set of rules which absolutely violates relevant sections of the constitution”.
According to HURIWA: “The National Broadcasting commission (NBC) can not validly and legally make legislation and can not suo Moto institute financial sanctions, a function that belongs to the court of competent jurisdiction as enshrined in the section 6 of the Nigerian constitution , Thus:(1) The judicial powers of the Federation shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established for the Federation;(2) The judicial powers of a State shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established, subject as provided by this Constitution, for a Stateof the Federation;(3) The courts to which this section relates established by this Constitution for the Federation and for States specified in subsection (5) (a) to (j) of this section shall be the only superior courts of record in Nigeria; and save as otherwise prescribed by the National Assembly or by the House of Assembly of a State, each court shall have all the powers of a superior court of record…”
HURIWA recalled that the the National Broadcasting Commission had fined Channels Television, Arise Television and Africa Independent Television for what it termed “unprofessional coverage” of the #EndSARS protests. The acting Director-General of the NBC, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, announced this at a press conference in Abuja on Monday. The NBC had last week warned all television and radio stations against reporting the #EndSARS protests in a manner that could embarrass the government or private individuals or cause disaffection, incite to panic or rift in the society HURIWA said this irrational, illegal and lawless acts of the Information minister and the ruthlessly inefficient contraption known as the National Broadcasting Commission by this irregular application of draconian and an illegal fines, are attempting to torpedo the essence of constitutional democracy which is centred around the sanctity of the Principles of the Rule of law and adherence to Constitutional provisions just as the Rights group said the in-house rules made by NBC purporting to be a legislation authorising imposition of fines is unconstitutional and absolutely Illegal since the NBC is not the law making body recognized in section 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended and the NBC can not be the complainant the prosecutor and the judge in its own case and therefore can not fine any broadcast stations since it is not a court of law. Those fines are null, void and of no moment”.
Reps restates commitment to police reforms
The House of Representatives recently resolved to liaise with the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and relevant civil society groups for the reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police. PHILIP NYAM reports Before the protests calling for the ban of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police gathered momentum.
That’s the Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Read more Nigerian news on GoldenNewsNg See you again tomorrow.
Source: GoldenNewsNg
Source: GoldenNewsNg
