Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Friday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. At least 38 suspected bandits were killed, while five police officers paid the supreme price during different operations in Katsina State. This was disclosed during a ‘special Press Conference’ by the Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, Sanusi Buba.

2. President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, met former President Goodluck Jonathan behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The agenda of the unscheduled meeting which took place at about 3 pm was not made public.

3. A clergy of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor John Elaigwu Odogbo, has emerged the new paramount traditional ruler of Idoma people in Benue State. This followed the recent hunting expedition embarked on by the Ochi’Idoma IV, Dr Elias Ikoyi Obekpa in October, this year and the directive by Governor Samuel Ortom for the selection of a new Ochi’Idoma on December 30, 2021.

4. The Federal Government on Thursday assessed its war against terror in the North Eastern part of the country in the outgoing year 2021, saying it has been able to neutralise the insurgents. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, while speaking in Lagos, said no fewer than 1000 terrorists were neutralised.

5. The Benue State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has said three corpses of supposed Christmas Day fun-seekers have been recovered from River Buruku after they were declared missing in Buruku Local Government Area of the State.

6. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday, assured Nigerians that the National Assembly will revisit the Electoral Act amended bill and will decide whether or not to remove the direct primaries clause from the bill after it resumes from recess.

7. Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) troops from Sector 3 Monguno (Nigeria) and Sector 4 Diffa (Niger) have neutralized Boko Haram, ISWAP terrorists in Lake Chad. The operation heavily supported by Nigeria’s OPERATION HADIN KAI targeted terrorist camps in Mallam Fatori town.

8. Three persons are reportedly feared dead following a clash of rival cult groups around Mofor junction, along DSC Expressway in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. The remains of two of the deceased were found in a vehicle, while the other was on the ground all stained with blood.

9. Operatives of the Katsina State Police Command have arrested a 31-year-old Usama Tijani, of Dorayi Quarters in Gwale LGA of Kano State for luring several ladies to hotels for sex and to defraud them of their valuables. The suspect was paraded by Superintendent of Police, SP Isah Gambo.

10. Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Thursday, sacked his Executive Assistant on Communications, Latimore Oghenesivbe, for what he described as “manifest recklessness and insubordination”. This was contained in a letter dated December 29, 2021, signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Patrick Ukah, and made available to journalists in Asaba.